Evan Neal‘s performance thus far has not lived up to his No. 7 overall draft selection, and midway through his second season, the young tackle faced a significant injury setback. Neal suffered an ankle injury in Week 9 of the 2022 season, which was initially believed to be a sprain. However, follow-up tests revealed a broken foot that required surgery. The New York Giants decided to keep Neal off the practice field during their offseason program as he recovered. Head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Neal will return to practice during training camp.

The Giants made several additions to their offensive line during the offseason, including bringing in Jermaine Eluemunor as the starting left guard. Eluemunor, who previously played right tackle for the Raiders, mentioned that he is ready to shift to right tackle if needed but is currently focusing on playing guard for the Giants.

Third-year lineman Joshua Ezeudu is expected to serve as a backup for starters Neal and Andrew Thomas. Last season, injuries to Thomas and Matt Peart led to Ezeudu being moved to left tackle, where he struggled. Despite hopes that Ezeudu would win a starting guard spot last year, the Giants added two new guards in free agency to provide competition.

Eluemunor could be a stable option as a swing tackle, although this would require the Giants to find a replacement at guard. The team added several new linemen in the offseason, including Aaron Stinnie, Austin Schlottmann, Matt Nelson, and Jalen Mayfield, who will compete for backup roles in training camp.

The Giants are hoping that Neal can bounce back from his injury and perform at a higher level to secure his spot as a starter. As he works on recovering from his foot fracture, Neal will need to demonstrate improved play to solidify his position.