After the Giants released Evan Neal on Sunday, there was at least a sliver of a chance his story in East Rutherford wasn’t finished. Because he’s a vested veteran, Neal could have latched on anywhere he wanted, including back with New York on the practice squad.
That door is closed now.
The Giants have filled all 17 practice-squad spots, and Neal is not among them. Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh started building the group on Monday, bringing back Braxton Berrios, Dalen Cambre and, surprisingly, Jalin Hyatt.
They only had 13 names in place that day, which left Tuesday as another possible path for Neal to return. But when practice wrapped, four more players had joined the mix - and Neal still wasn’t one of them.
Unless something changes later, the former No. 7 overall pick’s run with the Giants has ended for good. The 25-year-old, 6-foot-7, 340-pound lineman now has to find out whether another team thinks it can solve the problem New York never did.
Seattle is one possible landing spot, even if the fit isn’t obvious at first glance. The Seahawks kept 10 offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster, so they aren’t exactly hunting for bodies.
But right guard could still be worth a look. Anthony Bradford remains the starter there, though he has had his own pass-protection issues and may not be long for the job beyond this season.
Seattle has also cycled through younger options at the spot without finding much certainty. Neal brings plenty of baggage, but he also came into the league as a top-10 pick for a reason.
The Seahawks could stash him on the practice squad, keep working him at guard, and see whether a change of scenery unlocks something - even if the 12-man fanbase wants no part of the experiment.
Detroit might be the cleanest place for Neal to step back and reset. The Lions are in the middle of an offensive line reshuffle, with Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge now holding the two guard spots.
More importantly, Neal would get to work under Hank Fraley, who has quietly built a reputation as one of the most respected offensive line coaches in football. That kind of setup feels tailor-made for a player who needs structure and patience.
Neal moved inside last season, but he never actually played a regular-season snap at guard. And injuries didn’t help; his season ended in November when he landed on IR, cutting into the practice time he needed to get comfortable with the change.
New Orleans may be the most logical option from a pure roster-fit standpoint. The Saints kept only eight offensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster, which alone makes Neal worth a call.
They also have recent experience with a first-round tackle from the 2022 class moving inside. Trevor Penning, the No. 19 pick in that draft, shifted to guard last season before the Saints eventually sent him to the Chargers.
Neal has traveled a similarly frustrating road a little farther north. The Giants moved him to guard last season after three years of trying and failing to make him work at tackle, and now he’s looking for a new home.
For New Orleans, taking a shot on the massive 25-year-old would fit the pattern almost too neatly.
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Gonzaga's Title Hopes Ride On A Roster Question Still Unsettled
The roster picture around Gonzaga is unusually cloudy for a team that usually spends the offseason drawing clear blueprints toward another deep run. Mark Few still has the kind of frontcourt talent and veteran backcourt balance that keeps the Bulldogs in the national title conversation, and there are intriguing breakout candidates in the mix as well. But the usual summer optimism has been tempered by a round of eligibility questions that touches several newcomers, leaving the staff with more uncertainty than it would prefer this late in the calendar.
What makes the situation more delicate is how much hinges on those unresolved pieces before the season even gets rolling. Gonzaga already has to manage a team that will need sharper three-point shooting and quicker cohesion than it had time to build over the offseason, and the margins tighten fast if a few expected rotation pieces are not available right away. For a program built on continuity and clarity, this is the sort of roster question that can shape everything from lineups to ceiling, and it is still waiting on an answer. [Read more 🡒]