Brian Daboll won’t promise Evan Neal will be ready Week 1 — what it means

Neal remains on PUP list after ankle surgery

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll would not promise on Sunday that offensive tackle Evan Neal would be ready to start the regular season. Neal is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as his rehab from offseason ankle surgery has not gone as anticipated.

“I’d say this, it’s day-to-day, and each day he’s getting better,” Daboll said. “When he’s ready to go, he’ll be ready to go.”

That seems to be a different tone regarding the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. On the opening day of training camp, which was last Wednesday, GM Joe Schoen had said Neal was “not far off from being out there.”

Maybe Neal is close to returning. Maybe he isn’t. Maybe Daboll didn’t want to put any time frame on Neal’s potential return.

All we know for sure is that Neal has done very little work on the side with trainers during the first four practice sessions. Other players on PUP or missing practice for minor injuries have seemed far more active.

The lack of a time frame may also explain why the Giants moved Jermaine Eluemunor from left guard to the right tackle spot they had hoped, and may still hope, Neal would occupy.

Other offensive line notes

With center John Michael Schmitz sidelined by what Daboll called “a little shoulder,” there was an interesting development.

Guard Jon Runyan Jr. took a few center snaps, with undrafted free agent Jake Kubas sliding in at Runyan’s right guard spot. Runyan’s only center experience in the NFL is three snaps last season with the Green Bay Packers.

Austin Schlottman and Jimmy Morrissey split the rest of the reps, per reporters on the scene Sunday, but you wonder if taking a peek at Runyan means the Giants aren’t thrilled with their backup center options.