The worst news possible came in for the NY Giants this week, with star left tackle Andrew Thomas underdoing foot surgery. Just like that, his season is over and Brian Daboll is left with a problem for his offensive line. So, what's his solution?
For now, Joshua Ezeudu is set to take over at left tackle, while Jermaine Eluemunor is going to stay put at right tackle, a position he has impressed at through the first six games of the campaign. So, what does that all mean for Evan Neal?
Plenty of Giants fans had been hoping for Eluemunor to take over at left tackle, allowing Neal, a former first-round pick, to jump back at RT to see if the coaching from Carmen Bricillo has made a difference. That's not going to happen. While Daboll said he believes in Neal and that the youngster will be ready to go if his number is called, it's quite clear the staff doesn't fully trust him to deliver:
"He's growing each and every day, and if his number is called, I'm confident he'll go out there and do a good job."
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 16, 2024
Brian Daboll on Evan Neal: pic.twitter.com/juAqScJXnC
Evan Neal is going to remain on the bench with Andrew Thomas injured
That just feels like a ton of word salad, no? If Daboll and his coaches indeed believed in Neal, then why is he not the first tackle inserted into the lineup with Thomas out for the year? Neal figured to be the answer for the Giants' swing tackle problem.
Fans had called for Tyre Phillips to be signed, but reporter Dan Duggan said that the veteran OT isn't quite ready to get on the field due to injury. Ezeudu saw plenty of action at LT last season, but come on, we all saw how inconsistent he looked. He's not the answer at the position for the rest of 2024.
It seemed like giving Eluemunor a chance to play at LT and putting Neal in at RT was going to be a potential fix for Daboll. However, Neal has also looked rough early on in his career, which opened the door for Eluemunor to take his spot and never give it back.
When the Giants used their 2022 No. 7 overall pick on Neal, the hope was he'd be a stud for the long haul with Thomas. Now, both guys aren't starting - AT because of injury and Neal because he isn't good enough. Daboll can try and hype him up all he wants, but this continues to be a major mistake with a first-round selection. It feels like the Giants are throwing in the towel there.