Giants OL Evan Neal Says He Was Born to Play Tackle
New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal has only suited up for 20 of the 29 games since he's been in the league. He is currently out of the lineup dealing with his second ankle injury--a different one than the one he had earlier this season--and has played in one game since the Giants' game against the Bills on October 15.
As frustrating of a season as it's been for Neal, he still wants to be back on the field this year, though if and when that might happen remains up in the air.
"I have, and that's not something that I can control necessarily, so I don't want to harp on it too much, but in life, unexpected things happen," Neal said. "I'm just rolling with the punches, controlling everything that I can control, so when the opportunity does present itself for me to go back out on the field, I'll be ready."
Despite his patient approach this time with his rehab, he does not feel like he rushed his November 5 return against the Raiders, where he was injured again.
"I felt good when I returned for Las Vegas," Neal said. "I was dealing with my right ankle. I didn't have any issue with it. It was just that one play where I got long-armed and fell- it was kind of like a freak thing. Like I fell on it, and it dorsiflexed, so I kind of feel like I had nothing to do with my right ankle; it was just unfortunate that it had to happen."
One of the disadvantages of being his size is that lower body injuries need to heal and be strong enough to hold the weight and stress off an athlete that is so big. An ankle injury is problematic for a lineman because of the weight it bears and the force needed whenever they push off to run block or pass protect. Most of Neal's focus has been strengthening the ankle to do those basic functions of an offensive lineman.
"I've been doing some stuff on the field, just basically some light ladder drills, getting my feet up under me trying to put more weight on it, put more stress or load," Neal said when asked about his rehab process. "I'll do some light sled pushes, or I'll do some slow-motion pass sets just to get my body or my ankle back used to take on a full load, so that's pretty much where I'm at now. I do a lot of strengthening in my rehab, a lot of balance, and a lot of treatment stuff as well."
There have been questions about whether Neal, who struggled yet again at right tackle before his injuries, might be better suited to play guard. Giants general manager Joe Schoen, during his press briefing before the bye, shot down that idea, and Neal agreed.
"To be honest, in my opinion, as soon as I stepped out of the womb, I stepped out an offensive tackle, and that's how I feel," Neal said. "You asked Joe, and he gave you his analysis on where he felt like he saw me, so there you have it."
Still, the results have not been there. When told that Schoen went back and looked at Neal's college tape at Alabama, where he had been so dominant, the second-year player opined that he could reach that level of play in the NFL.
"I've put a lot of dominant reps on tape--a lot of times they go unnoticed, a lot of times the reps that I struggle get highlighted, but if you really sit back and watch the tape, I do a lot of good things," Neal said.
"I do a lot of dominant things on the football field that a lot of times go unnoticed, but that's the nature of being an offensive lineman; you're not noticed until you mess up pretty much, you know what I'm saying? So, it is what it is. I have to continue to get better. I know I have a lot of work to do, and I embrace it with a smile, so that's where I'm at."
For the 6-foot-8, 350-pound right tackle, whether he gets back on the field this season or not likely comes down to an ability to manage pain. He's still not pain-free, and there is a chance that he may not be this year. What he seems to be doing is figuring out what pain level he is capable of playing with.
"To be honest with you, it hurts," Neal said. "You know what I'm saying? It's football; sometimes, you've got to play through pain. But I do want to make sure whenever I do go back out on the field, I'll be ready. I'll have bullets in my gun to shoot with because anybody would never want to go into a war without any bullets in their gun, and that's where I'm at."
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