Getting some help for right tackle Evan Neal has to be a priority for the New York Giants. Assuming the franchise believes the seventh player take in the 2022 NFL draft can still be salvaged. Fortunately, this year’s free-agency market contains a right guard who’s a “top-end pass protector,” Kevin Dotson of the Los Angeles Rams.
Dotson is a good fit, according to Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus. Spielberger believes that while “Neal has really struggled, adding a top-end pass protector next to the right tackle could go a long way in stabilizing the right side of the offensive line.”
Acquiring Dotson will be costly because the 27-year-old “earned himself a lot of money in 2023 following a trade to the Los Angeles Rams, earning a career-high 88.8 run-blocking grade. While his pass blocking dipped compared to prior years, a 68.3 mark serving as a career low is a pretty strong floor.”
The Giants may need to get creative with the salary cap to make this move work. It’ll be worth the effort, though, for a team that surrendered 85 sacks last season.
Kevin Dotson Worth a Hefty Price Tag for Giants
Dotson is ready to cash in after grading higher than all-but one guard, per PFF NY Giants.
He excelled in both phases of blocking. The former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman also proved durable by starting 15-straight games, including the Rams’ playoff defeat to the Detroit Lions.
Neal hasn’t experienced this level of continuity next to him. The Giants started Ben Bredeson, Mark Glowinski and Joshua Ezeudu at right guard at different points during the season.
Dotson would provide stability to let Neal focus on improving his game. As well as stability, Dotson can give the Giants a smart, mobile blocker able to move people in the trenches and quickly progress to the linebacker level.
He showcased those qualities against the Giants in Week 17. Dotson blocked down on All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, then moved up to absorb middle linebacker Bobby Okereke, on a play highlighted by Stu Jackson of Rams.com.
Plays like this are why Dotson is projected by Spotrac.com to command an annual salary of $16.4 million on the open market. It’s a hefty figure, but one a Giants team with $26,811,449 worth of space under the salary cap could manage.
Paying to put Dotson in the lineup would give new line coach Carmen Bricillo a starter he wouldn’t need to worry about. Bricillo could instead focus his efforts on refining Neal’s game.
Evan Neal Facing Make-or-Break Season
One campaign’s worth of underperformance could be explained or even excused. Two seasons worth of struggles puts Neal dangerously close to draft bust status. He surrendered 30 pressures, two sacks, five quarterback hits and as many penalties in his second year, per Pro Football Focus.
Salvaging Neal’s career could depend on a position switch. The first step will be to acquire a new right tackle, according to SNY.tv’s Connor Hughes: “I’d expect the Giants to actively look for his replacement this offseason, though. This could come in the first round of the draft (Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu) or free agency (Michael Onwenu, Jonah Williams, Jermaine Eluemunor). They’ll kick Neal inside once they find that player.”
Shifting Neal to guard could help, but moving him over to the left side seems like the smarter move. As Empire Sports Media’s Anthony Rivardo noted, Neal “seemed more comfortable on the left side of the line as a LG/LT at Alabama.”
Pairing Neal with Pro-Bowl left tackle Andrew Thomas, then drafting a marquee tackle to start next to Dotson would complete a necessary overhaul of the Giants’ O-line.
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