The New York Giants have an unfortunate habit of mishandling young talent, and offensive tackle Evan Neal has become the latest victim. When the Giants drafted Neal out of Alabama in 2022, he was heralded as a dominant collegiate player with freakish athleticism and sky-high potential. Fast forward to now, and the promise Neal once exuded seems like a distant memory. The Giants’ inability to develop him, coupled with Neal’s own struggles, has left his career at a crossroads.
Injuries and Lost Opportunities
Neal’s time with the Giants has been marred by injuries and inconsistency. Multiple ankle issues have derailed his progress, and this past offseason, the Giants brought in free agent Jermaine Eluemunor to shore up their offensive line. Eluemunor initially took Neal’s starting spot at right tackle, but injuries to Andrew Thomas forced Eluemunor to move to left tackle, giving Neal one last shot at redemption.
The results have been disappointing. Despite the opportunity to prove his worth, Neal has once again struggled. Over 199 snaps this season, he has surrendered eight pressures and two sacks. While those numbers might not seem catastrophic, they project poorly over the course of a full 17-game season, where Neal would be on pace to allow 44 pressures and 11 sacks—a continuation of his 2023 struggles, when he allowed 29 pressures and two sacks in just 460 snaps.
A Position Change Could Salvage Value
It’s clear Neal can no longer be tested as an offensive tackle. The Giants need to acknowledge the reality of the situation and consider moving him to offensive guard. Neal’s size and physicality could translate better on the interior, where his athletic deficiencies in space would be less exposed.
There’s precedent for this kind of transition. The Philadelphia Eagles recently converted Mekhi Becton into a high-performing guard, salvaging value from a player who struggled as a tackle. The Giants must take a similar approach if they hope to extract anything from Neal’s remaining time under contract.
The Financial Reality
Next offseason, Neal will enter the fourth year of his rookie deal, and the Giants are almost certain to decline his fifth-year option. At this point, it’s hard to envision Neal being part of their long-term plans, but that doesn’t mean they can’t find some way to recoup value.
One potential move would be trading Neal during the offseason for late-round draft capital. While it’s unlikely the Giants could fetch much in return, even a modest trade would help offload the final year of Neal’s contract, saving $7.8 million. That money could be reinvested in other areas of the roster—especially along the offensive line, which remains in dire need of reinforcement.
Time Is Running Out
Evan Neal’s time with the Giants has been an exercise in frustration. Whether due to injuries, poor coaching, or his own shortcomings, the former seventh-overall pick has not lived up to expectations. The Giants need to act decisively, either by moving Neal to guard and seeing if a position switch unlocks his potential or by trading him to a team willing to take a flier on his upside.
Either way, time is running out to salvage something from this once-promising player. The Giants can’t afford to keep spinning their wheels—they need to make a decision and move forward, one way or another.