Will New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal play again in 2023? It’s beginning to become a real concern that he won’t after the latest injury update in Week 16.
WFAN’s Paul Dottino relayed that Neal is “still in limbo” after head coach Brian Daboll’s press conference on December 20. “Doing everything he can do,” the Giants HC added vaguely on the subject.
The 2022 first-round selection has not taken the field since Week 9 versus the Las Vegas Raiders, where he appeared to reaggravate an ankle issue that caused him to miss both Weeks 7 and 8. In total, Neal has already missed seven outings this year, and he appears to be trending towards absence number eight against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This comes on the heels of a poor start to his NFL career and an ill-advised fight with the fanbase in early October.
Needless to say, if Neal doesn’t turn his NYG tenure around soon, he’ll end up going down as one of the biggest first-round busts in franchise history. No matter what happens over the final few weeks, year three will be huge for the former Alabama O-tackle.
Giants Open Practice Window for OT Matt Peart & RB Gary Brightwell to Return From IR
Neal’s injury update wasn’t great, but Daboll did have some positive news on offensive tackle Matt Peart and running back Gary Brightwell.
“We’ll open the [practice] window for Brightwell [and] open the window for Peart,” the head coach noted on December 20.
That means the Giants will have 21 days to decide on whether or not they’d like to activate either player off of the injured reserve. Peart was initially placed on IR with a shoulder injury, while Brightwell has been dealing with a hamstring ailment.
Both were recent draft picks of the previous regime, which typically decreases a player’s likelihood of sticking around long-term. Peart will hit the open market first, having been drafted in 2020. The former third-round blocker is not expected to return in 2024.
As for Brightwell, the RB/returner has appeared in seven games this season. Over that span, he’s rushed the ball 9 times for 19 yards and caught 5-of-7 targets for 47 yards. Brightwell also has a kick return average of 21.3 yards.
Giants HC Brian Daboll Would Not Commit to Starting Evan Neal Once Healthy
Even if Neal returns in 2023, he may not be handed the starting job right away.
“We’ll see. Cross that bridge when we get to it,” Daboll told reporters ahead of Week 15 when asked if Neal would immediately step back into the right tackle role once he’s healthy.
He also voiced that veteran replacement Tyre Phillips has “done a nice job.” Of course, that statement was made before the Giants were defeated by the New Orleans Saints.
At the time, playoff hopes were still alive. Now the team is virtually eliminated from contention — NFL.com gives Big Blue a “<1%” probability of making the postseason entering Week 16.
That shift could impact Daboll’s decision, assuming Neal is ever healthy enough to play. Unless the Giants are already certain they’ll be moving on from the 2022 first rounder over the offseason, the assumption is that he’d play with no real shot at the playoffs.
Phillips has done a nice job, but he’s probably more of a swing tackle than a long-term answer. Plus, you need to see what you have in Neal. Can the high-end prospect still develop? Or are his days already numbered in New York?
