Just when it looked like things were finally trending in the right direction for New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal, here comes another potential setback. Per The Athletic's Dan Duggan, instead of gearing up for Saturday’s preseason tilt against the Buffalo Bills, Neal was seen on the sidelines working with the training staff.
Related: It’s only preseason but the Giants have more on the line vs Bills than it seems
It’s a pretty big gut punch to his chances of seeing playing time, but the football gods are merciless like that. Everyone knows he needs the reps. He’s in a full-blown battle with Greg Van Roten, and he’s already playing catch-up.
To be fair, the 24-year-old has had his moments. He’s stacked some strong reps and even impressed a few Giants legends along the way. But it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Neal needs every preseason snap he can get to prove he belongs. Missing Saturday would be a tough look. This latest hiccup might set him back even further — something he just can’t afford.
No Giants player has more on the line than Evan Neal
This could be the second blow to Neal’s redemption arc at right guard. The sideline work follows a rough practice where Abdul Carter was seen exploding past the slow-footed 340-pounder. And while there’s no update yet on what’s bothering Neal, not being on the field does absolutely nothing to help his case in cracking the starting rotation.
With Neal sidelined, Van Roten only tightens his grip on the job. And if Jake Kubas or even intriguing rookie Marcus Mbow show anything in preseason, the competition could spiral further out of Neal’s control.
This is an offensive line that’s been looking for answers for two decades now. No one’s getting rewarded based on draft pedigree.
And frankly, this is so much more than just trying to secure the starting gig. Neal’s future in football is hanging by a thread. He needs to grab his career by the horns and get back on track. Right now, he’s a former top-10 pick who flamed out at right tackle, making a last-ditch effort to save his career. If he can’t make it at guard, there’s a good chance this is the end of the road... at least in East Rutherford.
There’s still time. Again, we’re not sure why he met with the training staff. What we do know is he’s missing valuable camp reps and might miss even more valuable preseason reps as he does everything he can to prove he’s an NFL-caliber player. If Neal is a no-go for Buffalo, that’s a really tough look for the guy with the most on the line.