New York Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo told reporters Friday that Evan Neal is making progress working at right tackle but added that there are no plans at the moment to cross-train Neal at guard.
“I think Evan’s doing a great job of just working at the right tackle position and getting himself in the position to help the team,” Bricillo said. “He does everything we ask. He’s been doing extra, which we enjoy. He seems to be in a good spot. I’m pleased with where he’s at.”
Bricillo and the rest of the coaches believe that Neal, who played guard at Alabama, is a better fit for tackle and want to see what he brings to the table at that spot as he continues to get caught up after missing the team drills during the spring and most of training camp.
“I think his natural position is tackle, and I think that’s what we’re emphasizing,” Bricillo said when asked about working Neal at guard. “You want to see him, what he can do, and what he can be. He’s been the guy that was injured in the spring and came into training camp on PUP. … Why not just see what he can be at right tackle, which I think he feels comfortable at, as do I.”
Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has struggled to live up to his draft pedigree. While injuries haven’t helped–he’s missed 14 games over two seasons, including ten last year due to a season-ending ankle injury for which he had surgery–NEal has yet to look comfortable in pass-blocking snaps nor play with any consistency.
He was further set back this spring when, toward the end of the OTAs, the team suddenly shut him down for the rest of the spring, hoping he would be ready for the start of training camp. That didn’t happen either, and as a result, Neal fell behind in learning the various techniques that Bricillo wants his offensive linemen to perform.
“I think for any player that has been injured early in his career (it’s good) to have some time to be able to just get himself healthy and then just work himself back into the mix,” Bricillo said. “I think that’s exactly what he’s done.”
Although Neal has struggled as a pass blocker, he’s been more consistent with his run blocking. Bricillo was asked if Neal could help with that.
"I've been a big believer in using jumbos in the past," Bricillo said. "I think it's like anything--does the scheme match? You know, 'Hey, this week it could be good. Certainly has his strengths and his weaknesses, like all of us. I think it's something not so much as a personnel thing, but what do you anticipate that team actually doing?"
Thus far, Neal has yet to be deployed in any of the four games played this year as he continues to work toward rebuilding his confidence and technique.
