The New York Giants and head coach John Harbaugh surprised everyone earlier this spring when they revealed news that they would be re-signing first-round draft bust Evan Neal in NFL free agency.
“They have big dreams,” Harbaugh said at the NFL owners meeting, regarding Neal and fellow offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, who also re-signed. “If they’re going to dream big, I’d like them to do it right here in our building and try to realize those dreams with us.”
The Giants HC added that “we’ll give them a shot to do that.”
Now, it’s Neal who’s sending a message of his own. And he’s doing it with actions, not words.
Neal caught the attention of NFL insider Mike Garafolo on April 1, as he starred in a workout video posted by player performance and development trainer LeCharles Bentley. In case the link doesn’t properly embed within this article, you can find the full video here.
Along with the impressive workout montage, Neal seemingly had a message for the rest of the league. Courtesy of Bentley, the video was captioned: “Quitting is easy. Blame is easy. Neither moves you forward. Do the work.”
From there, Garafolo did the rest, commenting and sharing: “Evan Neal putting in the work as he attempts to reset his career with the Giants. One of the interesting storylines in East Rutherford this spring and summer.”
Can Evan Neal Finally Realize His True Potential Under John Harbaugh?
GettyEvan Neal was one of the top offensive line prospects in the nation when the New York Giants drafted him in 2022.
The main theory behind bringing back Neal was Harbaugh’s confidence in both him and his coaching staff. Flashback to 2022, and Neal was one of the top offensive line prospects in the nation.
Few teams weren’t high on his potential heading into the NFL draft that year, and Harbaugh has since acknowledged that the Baltimore Ravens were interested, too.
For whatever reason, it just has not worked for Neal in New York. The Giants challenged the collegiate left tackle right out of the gates, asking him to learn right tackle with Andrew Thomas holding down the blindside.
It’s possible the position change had something to do with his failed development, or maybe Neal was just an NFL guard all along. After transitioning him to right tackle, the Giants were very hesitant about trying him at guard, which further stalled his development.
Eventually, Neal plummeted down the depth chart, and opportunities and reps were harder to come by. But there is currently a starting vacancy in 2026.
The Giants have a glaring need at right guard, and Neal should be in the mix for the job. Veteran Greg Van Roten started at the position last season, and he remains available in free agency.
Besides Neal, Big Blue also rosters a familiar cast of unexciting options, including Aaron Stinnie, Jake Kubas, Ezeudu, and possibly NYG swing tackle Marcus Mbow.
Latest NFL Draft News Has Giants Meeting With 1st-Round OL Prospect Spencer Fano
The expectation is that the Giants will add to this guard competition in the coming weeks and months.
Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen could do so in the NFL draft. In fact, there was news of a Giants top 30 visit with Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano that surfaced on April 1.
Fano is another offensive tackle by trade, but he is believed to have the versatility and athleticism to make a smooth transition to guard, if needed.
Big Blue could also choose to address the position with a late free agent signing.
Ex-Giant and Raven Kevin Zeitler, ex-Raven Daniel Faalele, Van Roten, long-time Cleveland Browns vet Joel Bitonio, ex-New York Jets bust Mekhi Becton, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champ Alex Cappa, and versatile guard/center Graham Glasgow are among the best options still available on the open market as of April 2.
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