The New York Giants offensive line went into crisis mode last week when it was learned that All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas was lost for the season with a Lisfranc fracture.
The dot connectors here in New York quickly assumed that the Giants would slide right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor over to the left side and insert former first-round pick Evan Neal into his spot.
It didn’t happen. Head coach Brian Daboll and his staff decided the best course of action was to keep Eluemunor at right tackle and plug Joshua Ezeudu — who is more of a guard — in Thomas’ role.
It was a disaster. The Giants allowed eight sacks to a meh Philadelphia Eagles pass rush and were rendered punchless on offense as a result.
Neal? He did what he’s done every week thus far in 2024. He watched from the sidelines. He hadn’t played a snap all season and again wasn’t afforded one at garbage time on Sunday when Daboll decided to throw in the towel.
Asked why Neal was not put in the game, Daboll’s answer was short.
“Just wanted to go with the guys that we had,” he said.
Wait… Isn’t Neal, a former top 10 draft pick, one of the guys and worthy of at least a meaningless snap now and then? Or, is he so bad that the team has lost all faith in him and they don’t trust him any longer?
That would put the Giants in a precarious situation. To have a player taken No. 7 overall by general manager Joe Schoen deemed a bust right now is a dangerous thing. His drafts are being criticized by some here in New York and if Neal is labeled a “bust,” that would reflect badly on Schoen.
So, they’re hiding him, dry docking him. However you want to slice it. All the world sees is that the Giants desperately needed an offensive tackle and their “can’t-miss” draft pick isn’t trusted enough to help them.
Unless our eyes are deceiving us, this is just another chapter in the Giants’ decade-long odyssey of draft picks that have not panned out.
There is still time for Neal to work out, though it’s not likely to happen anytime soon listening to Daboll.
Neal was limited to seven games last year with an ankle injury, had surgery, and began this season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Right now he appears to be a dead spot on the roster.
“He’s done a nice job of developing his skill set,” Daboll said last week. “I think the coaches have done a nice job working with him. He’s in a good spot.”
That spot, right now, is the bench until further notice.
