The New York Giants have two key offensive linemen returning from injuries on Sunday morning. Head coach Brian Daboll announced to the media that third-year right tackle Evan Neal is being activated off the PUP list and second-year center John Michael Schmitz will also be returning to practice (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic).
John Michael Schmitz returning to practice should give the Giants’ OL stability
Schmitz’s return to practice is significant for the Giants. He is the team’s starting center and, without him, they have been forced to shuffle around the offensive line and place players out of position. Recently-signed right guard Greg Van Roten has been taking the majority of the first-team snaps at center. The Giants will be eager to move him back to guard upon Schmitz’s return to the lineup.
Schmitz had missed the past couple of weeks of practice and the first preseason game due to a shoulder injury that he suffered during training camp. He missed four games last season with a shoulder injury, but Daboll told the media that the two injuries were unrelated.
During his rookie season, Schmitz battled tremendous adversity. He dealt with injuries, not only to himself, but also to his teammates, which created a revolving door of different offensive guards lining up on his shoulders every week. Couple those factors in with perceived poor coaching, and Schmitz delivered an entirely underwhelming rookie season.
The 2023 second-round draft pick finished dead last at his position with a 41.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade. He surrendered 30 pressures and five sacks across 755 snaps as a rookie. The Giants are hoping to see Schmitz return to the practice field and show signs of progress toward a second-year leap.
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Evan Neal is finally being activated off the PUP list
Neal’s career has gotten off to a rocky start, to say the least. The 2022 seventh-overall draft pick has statistically been among the worst offensive tackles in the NFL, posting a 44.1 overall PFF grade as a rookie and a 39.8 overall grade last season. He has also dealt with a slew of injuries which have kept him off the field and kept him from performing at a high level.
Neal was placed on injured reserve last season following an ankle injury suffered in Week 9. The injury was initially believed to be a sprain, but it was later revealed to be a fracture which required surgery. The recovery time for Neal took longer than expected and he missed the entirety of spring training and training camp.
The Giants have since seemingly moved on from Neal as their starting right tackle. Veteran Jermaine Eluemunor quickly won over the favor of the coaching staff after being signed in free agency this offseason. Eluemunor will maintain his role as the starting right tackle while Neal ramps up behind him, hopefully showing signs of development.
