NFL Week 7: Whatever happened to Evan Neal?

Offensive tackle Evan Neal has been in uniform for the New York Giants’ six games this season. But the former Alabama All-American hasn’t played in any.

“It’s definitely my first time experiencing this,” Neal said on Wednesday. “But I like to try to learn from any situation that I’m in. Whether it be a positive one or a negative one. I look at the situation I’m in, and, obviously, it’s not ideal for me, being that I do want to play. But it’s what I’m asked to do right now, and I’m going to embrace this role. I’m going to go out there and practice and get better every day. Push my teammates and continue to be who I am and work hard.”

When the Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Neal might be back in action because New York has lost left tackle Andrew Thomas to a season-ending foot injury.

Neal has started at right tackle in every game that he’s played since joining the Giants as the seventh selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. But Neal hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Nov. 5. He missed 10 games last season, had ankle surgery on Jan. 2 and spent the first three weeks of training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

New York opened the season with free-agent signee Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, with Neal working as his backup.

“We’ve had six weeks here in the regular season where Evan has taken, I’d say, the majority of right-tackle snaps in case something happened to Jermaine,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said on Wednesday about replacing Thomas. “(Joshua) Ezeudu has taken left-tackle snaps. But then, once this happens, you have discussions about how you want to approach it. We’ll do a few things here this week, and then, ultimately, after Friday’s practice, we’ll make our decision on how we’re going to go with that.”

Daboll said Neal hadn’t let the change in playing status after his injury affect his work habits.

“His attitude has been excellent,” Daboll said. “I think his skill set has improved relative to the technique and fundamentals that (assistant offensive-line coach) James (Ferentz) and that (offensive-line coach) Carm (Bricillo) are coaching. He’s got the right kind of attitude. He’s been a good teammate through this entire process. If his number is called, then he’s going to do everything he can do to be ready to play.”

At Alabama, Neal played left guard in 2019, right tackle in 2020 and left tackle in 2021. Although he’s been a right tackle since joining the Giants, Neal said moving to left tackle would be an adjustment he could make now that he has regained his health.

“It’s just been an everyday process,” Neal said. “Just building up. I started camp on PUP, and it’s just been a gradual ramp up throughout the entire process. It’s just a testament to the people in the athletic training staff, just me being a pro, creating my routine and being consistent with it, making sure that I’m healthy. I’m feeling good every day, and I’ve just been stacking days all the way up to this point.”