Surprise! Giants Bring Back Evan Neal to Compete at Guard

The New York Giants needed to find some guards to fill out what is a paper-thin spot on their offensive line.

They did just that–the only thing being that the Giants are turning to a familiar face that very few, if any, people thought they would turn to: offensive lineman Evan Neal, whose agency confirmed his return to the Giants.

Moving forward!

Back to work in the Big Apple! 🍎 pic.twitter.com/OdZcZifLeh
— AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) March 11, 2026

Neal, the team’s first-round pick in 2022 (seventh overall), has thus far been a disappointment in that he’s not lived up to his pre-draft status or his pedigree. Originally drafted to be the team’s right tackle, the 6-foot-7, 340-pound former Alabama offensive lineman fought through assorted injuries, including an ankle issue that limited him in 2023 and 2024.

He’s appeared in a total of 29 games with 27 starts, all at right tackle. This past season, Neal competed for the right guard position, but never saw the field, and ended up on injured reserve with a hamstring injury that mysteriously developed midway through the season.

Neal, whose option year in his rookie deal was not exercised by the team last year, had his 21-day practice window opened toward the end of last season, but after practicing just one day, he developed a back issue and was never activated from injured reserve.

In the games he did play, Neal allowed 98 pressures in 1,157 pass-blocking snaps, including a league-worst 52 as a rookie as he struggled to find consistency in his stance after having played the majority of his college snaps on the left side.

But one of Neal’s saving graces has been using his big size as a run blocker, where he has been something of a people-mover when blocking straight ahead.

Giants head coach John Harbaugh apparently sees the athleticism and pre-draft positives in Neal’s tape.

With the Giants having re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor to be their right tackle, the thinking is that Neal will be given first crack at winning the right guard spot on the starting offensive line, which is currently vacated, given that Greg Van Roten, who filled the spot the last two years and whom Neal couldn’t beat out, is unsigned.

The only other guards currently on the Giants roster are Jon Runyan Jr, who is expected to return for another season as the starter at left guard, and Jake Kubas, who spent all of last year on the practice squad.

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