Giants Taking Wait and See Approach with Evan Neal

Neal needs to get healthy before a decision is made on where he'll play.

Jan 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) in the tunnel before game against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants' top brass, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, patiently answered questions about offensive tackle Evan Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft, who has not developed into the player they hoped he’d be.

One of the primary reasons for Neal’s struggles to blossom into a quality NFL tackle has been injuries, the latest of which is an ankle issue that Neal had surgically repaired last season. 

But after making enough progress in his rehab during the spring to get in on individual drills, suddenly, the team backed off Neal, intending to have him ready for the start of training camp.

That didn’t happen, and the former Alabama star is currently sitting on the active/PUP list, with his future as the starting right tackle up in the air.   

“He's got to get healthy,” Schoen told reporters during his and Daboll’s annual joint press conference on Wednesday, the start of Giants training camp. 

“Then we'll determine, and all those other things will take care of itself.”

Schoen added that Neal isn't far from returning, though he declined to give a more definitive timeline. Still, questions linger about why, after almost nine months and a variety of state-of-the-art treatments available to professional athletes, it has taken Neal this long to get back on the field.

“I think every player reacts to injuries differently,” Daboll said. “So whether it's Evan (Neal) or somebody else that’s injured, I couldn't say for certain, like, this is the exact time. 

“I think you can't give a concrete timeline. Daniel (Jones) is eight months on an ACL, and he's playing. Everybody reacts differently. But he's doing everything he needs to do, and when he's ready to go, we'll put him out there.”

Left tackle Andrew Thomas, who last year tried to come back too soon from a hamstring strain suffered in Week 1 of the regular season only to set himself back, said he kept in touch with Neal over the offseason as his teammate did his rehab in East Rutherford. Thomas believes Neal is in a good place mentally and has done everything he can to get himself right.  

“I'm just trying to encourage him to take his time because I know there's an urge to rush back, but you never want to step on it if you're not ready to go,” Thomas said. 

“I'm just hoping that everything the trainers tell him will help him be ready whenever he's back.”

When Neal does come back, there is a lingering question because Schoen and Daboll have not verbally committed to where Neal will play–that is, if he retains his starting job.

“Right now, the focus is on getting him on the field, and then we'll see where we are once he's healthy and able to practice,” Schoen reiterated when asked if Neal would get first crack at tackle once medically cleared. 

“We're focused on him day by day. He'll be off to the side. The training staff is going to ease him back in there. How he plays and his contribution to the team will take care of itself from there.”

For now, the team has been leaning on Jermaine Eluemunor, whom the team acquired in free agency in part to be the fallback plan if Neal doesn’t work out. Eluemunor worked at left guard in the spring, but they moved him to right tackle to start training camp rather than lean into Joshua Eazuedu, who is competing to be the swing tackle. 

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