New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal missed most of training camp and preseason with an ankle injury, which was already not the type of start he was hoping for as this season could be his final opportunity to prove he is worth being part of the team’s future.
He finally made his return in their final preseason against the New York Jets on Saturday, and he still endured struggles on the field. Late in the first quarter, Neal was beaten badly by Jets’ defensive end and former first-round pick Takkarist McKinley, which led to a sack for the latter.
Evan Neal is playing for a job on the Giants
Neal has already lost his starting job with the free agent signing of Jermaine Eluemunor, so now the 2022 seventh-overall pick has to settle for a backup role. The team sought after a replacement after a rough first two NFL seasons for Neal. Last season, he played in seven games and had a PFF pass-blocking grade of 38.5.
In addition to his on-field decline, he is still struggling with injuries that have slowed down his development drastically. In Saturday’s preseason game against the Jets, Neal tweaked the same ankle he underwent surgery on during the offseason, which caused him to miss the second half.
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Neal continues to be slowed down by injuries and bad performances
There is optimism that Neal’s injury is not serious, as head coach Brian Daboll indicated that his departure was related to a pitch count he was placed on before the game as opposed to a severe ankle injury (h/t ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). Nevertheless, it is discouraging that he didn’t perform well in the limited action he did see and was once again slowed down by an injury, albeit minor.
With the preseason officially over, the Giants have to make roster cuts to round out their 53-man roster for the regular season. While it is unlikely that Neal will be a part of those initial cuts, a continued lack of availability could spell the end of his Giants career pretty quickly.
