The New York Giants are gearing up to face off against the Detroit Lions this upcoming Sunday in Week 11. They will likely be without a few key players, notably Evan Neal, who’s been dealing with a sprained MCL the past few weeks. Neal went down against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7, rehabilitating after playing just 19 snaps.
However, according to head coach Brian Daboll, Neal returned to practice on Wednesday afternoon, setting a timeline for his potential return.
The New York Giants were seeing improvement from Evan Neal before the injury:
The rookie out of Alabama had taken some big steps forward before the injury, giving up just three pressures in his last two games against Baltimore and Jacksonville. On the season, he’s allowed five sacks, three quarterback hits, eight hurries, and 16 total pressures. Neal has been adequate as a run blocker, though, so there have been efficient portions to his game.
In his stead, Tyre Phillips, a former third-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, has filled in at right tackle.
Over 198 total snaps, Phillips has given up two sacks, one quarterback hit, five hurries, and eight total pressures. Unfortunately, the Phillips experiment needs to come to an end rather soon, given his inefficiency and getting Neal back on track with his development.
Aside from the rookie tackle, Kayvon Thibodeaux wasn’t at practice on Wednesday due to a minor illness. The Giants are simply being cautious with Kayvon, especially with the flu going around the city.