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Former Giants First-Round Pick Opens Training Camp on PUP List

New York Giants right tackle Evan Neal entered camp with much to prove, but now he has landed on the PUP list.

By Nicholas Rome

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll greets offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) on day two of mandatory minicamp at the Giants training center on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in East Rutherford.
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll greets offensive tackle Evan Neal (73) on day two of mandatory minicamp at the Giants training center on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in East Rutherford. / Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com /
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The New York Giants had a clear plan this offseason -- upgrade one of the league's worst offensive lines. This was highlighted in free agency where the Giants signed Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor.

The plan was also highlighted throughout Hard Knocks Offseason with the New York Giants where GM Joe Schoen stated this while naming Runyan, Andrew Thomas, and John Michael Schmitz as the players to build around.

The notable omission was former first-round pick Evan Neal who Schoen selected in his first NFL draft. The Giants signed Eluemunor knowing he could start this season at right tackle, making Neal's future cloudy, especially coming off a season where he was injured and angered fans.

The case for Neal is seemingly worse as he'll start training camp on the physically unable-to-perform list.

The move to the PUP list is a massive concern as Neal is eight months removed from ankle surgery and he's not ready to join the team.

Even if Neal makes it back before the start of the season, he certainly could've used as many reps as possible as he looks to grow into the player the Giants hoped they'd get when they selected him seventh overall.

After a disappointing 2023 season where the Giants' roster fell apart and with an owner like John Mara, no one would be outright shocked if Schoen was on the hot seat.

The Giants GM could face backlash from ownership if Saquon Barkley has a massive year as Mara wanted to resign the star running back. If 2024 goes poorly, Mara may point to Neal's selection, resigning Daniel Jones, and losing Barkley in free agency as reasons he needs to move on from Schoen. Although, that would be the wrong decision.

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