At long last, it appears that Evan Neal’s five-year tenure with the New York Giants is officially over.
The Giants released Neal, the No. 7 pick in 2022, on Sunday afternoon as part of their final cuts. Previously an All-American tackle at Alabama, Neal struggled as Daniel Jones’ right tackle protector and had a failed conversion to guard.
As of Monday morning, there is no indication that the Giants intend to bring Neal back as a practice squad option. He turns 26 on Sept. 19 and, contrary to what some NFL analysts suggested, was not on the last year of his rookie contract. Neal had signed a veteran minimum deal this past March.
Fittingly, Neal went out with a whimper rather than a bang, and he departs the Giants as one of the worst picks in franchise history.
What’s next for former New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal?
To give you an idea of how badly the Giants botched the No. 7 pick, here are the seven players who went immediately after Neal in 2022:
Draft pick | Player | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|
8. | Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons | 3,961 yards and 22 touchdowns over 62 games, including a 1,271-yard campaign in 2024; signed a four-year, $141 million extension in June 2026. |
9. | Charles Cross, OT, Seattle Seahawks | Super Bowl LX champion; 62 starts in four seasons; signed a four-year, $104.4 million extension in January 2026. |
10. | Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets | 2022 Offensive Rookie of the year; 315 catches for 3,644 yards and 18 touchdowns in four years; three 1,000-yard seasons; signed a four-year, $130 million extension in July 2025. |
11. | Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints | 291 catches for 3,728 yards and 19 touchdowns in 55 games; three 1,000-yard seasons; signed a four-year, $124 million extension in July 2026. |
12. | Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions | 148 catches for 2,513 yards and 17 touchdowns in 50 games; two 1,000-yard seasons; signed a three-year, $80 million extension in September 2025. |
13. | Jordan Davis, DT, Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl LIX champion; eight sacks and 15 tackles for loss over four seasons; signed a three-year, $78 million extension in March 2026. |
14. | Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens | Three-time Pro Bowler; two first-team All-Pro selections and a 2024 appearance on the All-Pro second team; signed a four-year, $100.4 million contract in August 2025. |
In slight fairness to Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, Neal was a consensus top-10 prospect, and the Giants needed stability on the offensive line. By no means are we defending the pick, but the context and narratives at that time are relevant to any discussions about Neal.
And while CBS Sports suggested that the move was surprising, every Giants fan saw the writing on the wall. The fact that Schoen and John Harbaugh bothered to bring Neal back was the truly surprising part, even if it was only as a camp body. He’d ruined any and all goodwill when he called out and personally insulted Giants fans in 2023. The only path to redemption was for him to suddenly become a perennial All-Pro right tackle.
Speaking candidly, there’s no reason for the Giants to put Neal on the practice squad. Not even the Daniel Faalele trade helped him earn a roster spot. Brian Daboll and the Titans have spent the offseason and summer bringing in ex-Giants players, so maybe Neal will wind up on their practice squad.
Bobby Johnson, who was Neal’s offensive line coach for his first two seasons, now works as the Browns’ assistant offensive line coach. Each team has 16 practice squad spots, and Neal has 27 career starts under his belt. In theory, there are far worse options to have as an emergency tackle or guard.
Whether Neal deserves that shot, though, is its own conversation, and we have a sense of how most Giants fans would respond.
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