If you had the New York Giants re-signing former first-round bust Evan Neal this offseason on your bingo card, give yourself a gold star.
On Wednesday, that’s exactly what the Giants did. The announcement was made shortly after the league’s new year began at 4:00 p.m. ET.
There’s not much to say except that the new coaching staff, led by head coach John Harbaugh, believes the previous staff mishandled Neal, who was a disaster at tackle and then never caught on at guard.
Neal, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 340 pounds, was the seventh overall selection out of Alabama in the 2022 NFL draft by the Giants. He was seen as a “can’t-miss” pick, but he missed badly. Neal could not handle the speed rush as he looked like a fish out of water in pass protection.
The Giants declined Neal’s fifth-year option last May.
Neal was shifted from tackle to guard last spring but did not appear in any regular-season games. It was assumed the club was done with him.
Never assume.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Surprise! New York Giants re-signing Evan Neal to one-year deal
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
