The New York Giants crushed the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, grabbing Abdul Carter at No. 3 and trading up for Jaxson Dart at No. 25. It was the kind of aggressive, calculated work Giants fans had been begging for. They weren't done there. On Days 2 and 3, they added Darius Alexander and Cam Skattebo, two players who should also see plenty of playing time.
But once the dust settled, general manager Joe Schoen had another important box to check—and this one was a lot less fun.
On Saturday, Schoen made it official: the Giants are declining the fifth-year option on former seventh overall pick Evan Neal. While Carter and Dart usher in a new era of excitement, Neal represents a lingering sore spot from Schoen’s very first draft class.
The decision to move on from Neal was hardly a shock. If anything, it felt like the inevitable final step in a long, frustrating slide from cornerstone hopeful to depth chart question mark.
Giants close the book on Evan Neal’s future as a starter
There was a time when Neal looked like a slam-dunk future star at right tackle. Coming out of Alabama, he had the size, pedigree, and versatility to thrive in the NFL trenches. But three seasons later, that optimism has completely evaporated.
Neal’s career has been marred by inconsistency, injuries, and a failure to develop into even a steady starter. Across three seasons, he’s started just 29 of a possible 51 games. His pass-blocking grades have been brutal. His durability has been worse. And when the Giants brought in Jermaine Eluemunor last offseason and Stone Forsythe this offseason, the writing was on the wall.
Declining Neal’s option saves the Giants from locking into a fully guaranteed $16.7 million salary for 2026. It also signals a full reset on the right side of the offensive line, where newly drafted Marcus Mbow could eventually factor into the competition alongside veterans like Greg Van Roten and Aaron Stinnie.
Head Coach Brian Daboll also confirmed that Mbow will start out working at tackle, joining Andrew Thomas, Jermaine Eluemunor, and James Hudson in that mix. That leaves Neal’s path to a roster spot that much murkier. His future in New York now clearly hinges on a transition to guard—and even that is far from a lock.
Neal isn’t totally out of the Giants’ plans—yet. He’ll still get a chance to compete inside, where his size and run-blocking skills could still be useful. But make no mistake: this is a “prove it or pack it” year. If Neal doesn’t show real growth, his days in blue are numbered.
After a draft that pumped new life into the franchise, Schoen’s decision to decline Neal’s option serves as a necessary reminder. Building a contender isn’t just about finding stars like Carter and Dart. It’s about owning mistakes, cutting your losses, and refusing to let sunk costs drag the team down.
The Giants are moving forward. And Neal, for now, is just trying to keep up.
