The New York Giants enhanced the depth of their offensive line over the summer, but they are still waiting for two key players to be healthy in time for the regular season in right tackle Evan Neal and starting center John Michael Schmitz.
The latest updates on Neal are not great, with head coach Brian Daboll indicating that the 2022 seventh-overall pick is “not ready” to make a return to the field anytime soon. Neal has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp following offseason ankle surgery.
“He’s working hard, trying to do everything he can to get better, he’s just not ready to go yet. When he is, he’ll be ready,” Daboll said following Sunday’s practice (h/t SNY).
Evan Neal likely suffered a setback and is running out of time to stay healthy
It was going to be difficult for Neal to reclaim his starting spot after the Giants signed tackle Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency, but with little progression in his rehab, the Giants added another lineman in Greg Van Roten last week, effectively ending Neal’s time as the team’s starting right tackle. Neal’s first two NFL seasons have been a nightmare for him, as they have been littered with injuries and poor on-field play.
Although Daboll would not confirm whether or not Neal suffered a setback, it seems evident that he has, considering he was “nearing a return” from his ankle injury during the team’s mandatory minicamp back in June.
The hope was that with a new offensive line coach in Carmen Bricillo, Neal could finally take that step forward and develop into a serviceable option at the front lines. However, the injury bug continues to bite him, and time is running out for him to make any sort of impact on the roster.
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John Michael Schmitz still hasn’t returned from a shoulder injury
The Giants are also waiting for a more significant piece to recover from injury, as starting center John Michael Schmitz is still not ready to return from a shoulder injury he suffered at the start of training camp. The second-year center is expected to be a crucial part of the offensive line this season with the hope that his game takes a leap in his sophomore season.
According to Daboll, Greg Van Roten is currently taking reps at center (h/t Sports Illustrated’s Patricia Traina). They also have Jon Runyan Jr. who can slot over at center if needed, as he was also taking reps at the position earlier in camp, though they will likely try to avoid making that scenario a reality.
It is unclear if Schmitz will be ready for the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, which is scheduled for Aug. 8. The hope is that he can get at least some game action before Week 1 of the regular season, where the Giants will really need their full offensive line to be healthy and ready to go.
More will be known about Neal and Schmitz’s progress as the week continues, and hopefully, they get some good news regarding the status of both offensive linemen.
