When the New York Giants re-signed offensive lineman Evan Neal on March 11, it was immediately dubbed the most surprising move of free agency — and not in a good way.
Multiple outlets listed it as the Giants’ single most shocking transaction of the offseason. The reaction from fans was swift and largely scathing, and it’s hard to blame them.
The New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy admitted that he was “stunned by the reunion from both sides”, calling it the “definition of outrageous”. The Athletic’s Dan Duggan reacted to the signing by saying his “jaw is on the floor”.
ESPN’s NY Giants reporter Jordan Ranaan had a similar reaction, saying that he “didn’t have Evan Neal returning on the 2026 Bingo card.”
Evan Neal returning to #Giants was this.
Stunned by the reunion on BOTH sides
Definition of ‘outrageous.’ Not BIG https://t.co/0j5MP7puZl
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) March 11, 2026
From Bust to Reclamation Project
Neal arrived in 2022 as the 7th overall pick out of Alabama as a 6’7″, 360-pound left tackle with the athleticism and pedigree to anchor an offensive line for a decade. What followed was one of the most disappointing developments in Giants history.
He has played just 29 games across four seasons, missing time every single year. Despite not appearing in a single game in 2025, he still managed to land on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
The performance, when it came, rarely justified the draft capital spent.
Per Pro Football Focus, Neal graded as the worst tackle in the NFL in 2022 (41.8, 57th out of 57 qualifiers) and barely improved in 2023 (39.8, 83rd out of 85). His best season was 2024, where he posted a 61.2 overall grade, good for 73rd out of 140 tackles.
Since 2022, Neal has posted a career pass block win rate of 82.9%, which would rank dead last among all qualifiers during that span, according to ESPN.
The one legitimate bright spot: an 80.8 run-blocking grade in 2024, ranking 9th league-wide. A tantalizing data point, and the clearest evidence of what Neal might be able to move to guard if he can stay healthy.
The Relationship With Fans Was Already Broken
The numbers alone would be enough to generate frustration. But Neal’s standing with the fanbase took a direct hit in 2023, after a loss to the Seahawks in which the Giants surrendered 11 sacks.
When fans booed, Neal responded publicly by invoking the lion-and-sheep metaphor and suggesting his critics were somewhere flipping burgers. When he apologized the following day, it didn’t fully stick, and the relationship has been fractured ever since.
Why Harbaugh Believes
The deal itself is a one-year veteran minimum, which makes this a low-risk move with some upside. According to the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, new head coach John Harbaugh specifically pushed for giving Neal a second chance after re-evaluating his pre-draft tape.
Harbaugh believes new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren, who has a reputation for developing linemen, can do what four years of previous coaching could not.
Harbaugh has earned the benefit of the doubt as a coach, and the one-year structure limits the damage if it doesn’t work.
But the Giants’ offensive line is the team’s most urgent problem, and if Harbaugh can resurrect Neal’s career, the deal could turn into a win-win situation.
In New York, winning solves a lot of problems, and if Neal can prove that he can be a difference maker at guard, all will be forgiven.
