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The New York Giants were dealt a scare on Sunday as first-round offensive tackle Evan Neal suffered a knee injury in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While it was initially thought he potentially tore his ACL, Neal only has an MCL sprain, which is definitely a best-case scenario for one of QB Daniel Jones' top protectors.
“Giants OT Evan Neal is believed to have a grade 2 MCL sprain based on early tests, per source. The top-10 pick could miss some time but that’s to be determined.”
NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported that Neal is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with the injury, but a source told Josina Anderson they believe he'll be “ready sooner” than that.
Week 7 was full of injuries for New York, who also lost Adoree Jackson, Daniel Bellinger, Beal, and Ben Bredeson. Nevertheless, the Giants sit at 6-1 on the season, to the surprise of many.
The former Alabama standout has been solid so far in his rookie year for the Giants, solidifying an offensive line which has shown massive improvement in 2022 under new head coach Brian Daboll.
At first, it looked like a serious injury. Jaguars defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris landed on the back of Neal's left leg and he immediately went down in excruciating pain. The tackle ultimately limped off but was carted off into the locker room. Bredeson, the Giants starting left guard, was also forced off early, leaving the offensive line very shorthanded. Josh Ezeudu and Tyre Phillips both filled in for Neal and Bredeson.
The most positive takeaway is that Neal and Bredeson aren't going to miss a ton of time. The Giants face the Seahawks next Sunday.
