There's nothing more brutal in the NFL than season-ending injuries in training camp. Los Angeles Chargers star left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered what looks to be a serious knee injury in training camp practice this week, per ESPN reporter and Chargers insider Kris Rhim.
With the season rapidly approaching, the Chargers might get desperate and look to the trade market to replace Slater. It wouldn't be an easy sell, but the New York Giants should test the waters to see if they could get something in return for Evan Neal.
Giants should look to trade Evan Neal to Chargers after Rashawn Slater injury
The best NFL general managers can admit when they were wrong. Giants general manager Joe Schoen spent a top-ten draft pick on the 6-foot-7 marvel back in 2022, betting on his size, physicality, and athleticism. The former Alabama lineman wasn't a polished prospect by any means, but Schoen and the Giants thought that they could develop him into a star.
Needless to say, it hasn't worked out that way. He has struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL game, hardly showing any improvement so far in his career. He's allowed 85 pressures in just over 1,500 snaps, an abysmal rate for an NFL tackle.
Just three years after being taken with the seventh pick in the NFL Draft, Neal is stuck on the Giants' bench. He's expected to be a backup guard this season after moving inside to cover up his pass blocking deficiencies.
The Giants have already declined to pick up his fifth-year option, for obvious reasons. He'll likely play out his current contract before hitting free agency.
But the Giants might now have an opportunity to get some value back for Neal. After Slater's injury, the Chargers are left without a clear answer at one of their tackle spots. Second-year star Joe Alt is expected to move over to the left to replace Slater, but Los Angeles still needs someone to fill in on the right.
The Giants should at least see if the Chargers have any interest in trading for the 24-year-old. He's a liability in pass protection, but Neal has improved greatly in run blocking. The Chargers' offense is predicated on the run, so they might be enticed by his physicality.
The return would likely be minimal. New York would be lucky to get more than a fifth-round pick in return, but it's still worth making the phone call.