The New York Giants have been waiting for right tackle Evan Neal to join practice since training camp began nearly two weeks ago. Coach Brian Daboll has been reluctant to discuss Neal’s situation.
On Sunday, Daboll was asked about Neal’s status during a light practice at the Giants’ training facility in the Meadowlands sports complex.
Neal, who was drafted seventh overall in 2022, had ankle surgery in January and is still recovering. He was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list when players reported for camp.
While the team has been practicing, Neal has been working on the side with trainers. He ran on Sunday, which seemed like a positive sign. It’s unlikely he will participate in the upcoming two-day practice with the Detroit Lions starting Monday.
Daboll has consistently said that Neal is not ready to practice yet. Neal has not had any setbacks, and recovery times can vary for each athlete.
“I know he’s doing everything he can do,” Daboll said. “Whether it’s a high draft pick or undrafted free agent, you care about all your guys. So when he’s ready, we’ll put him out there.”
In Neal’s absence, the Giants’ offensive line has Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, Aaron Stinnie at right guard, recently signed Greg Van Roten at center for the injured John Michael Schmitz, Jon Runyan Jr. at left guard, and Andrew Thomas at left tackle.
Eluemunor and Van Roten, both former starters with the Raiders, are now working with Carmen Bricillo, the Giants’ new offensive line coach. Runyan joined the Giants as a free agent from Green Bay, and Stinnie was signed after his time with Tampa Bay.
Eluemunor has performed well at right tackle, and Neal may face a challenge displacing him when he returns.
“That’s something for the future,” Daboll said about Neal returning to right tackle. “First, we need to get him healthy, and when he’s back, we’ll handle that situation.”
Neal played left guard during his freshman year at Alabama before switching to right tackle, showing he can play multiple positions.
With a month left before the season starts, Neal might return and perform well. Meanwhile, Schmitz needs to recover from his shoulder injury.
Thomas mentioned on Sunday that the new offensive line group is putting in a lot of effort. The goal is to be better than last year’s line, which allowed a record 85 sacks.
“Once we get on the field on Sunday and the real game starts, that’s when we’ll really know,” Thomas said. “It’s also hard to compare to previous years. Last year had a lot of issues, like injuries and rotations.
But I think we have a solid group with some experienced players, which should help us work well together.” Thomas has talked to Neal and believes he isn’t frustrated by his injury. Neal wants to practice but isn’t physically ready yet.
“I’m just trying to keep him motivated and make sure he doesn’t get discouraged,” Thomas said. “I’ve been in a similar situation, injured and unable to practice. It’s tough, but I think he has the right attitude.”
Daboll said that the upcoming workouts with the Lions will include seven-on-seven passing drills. This year, he has included more 11-on-11 drills in training camp.
“Good work against another team,” Daboll said. “I have a lot of respect for Lions coach Dan Campbell. We’ve been friends for a long time. We aim to practice properly with each other, just like we do within our team. We want to stay off the ground and do things the right way. It’ll be good practice.”
