LAS VEGAS, Nevada — The Las Vegas Raiders have made a fascinating late-summer addition, giving former New York Giants first-round pick Evan Neal a fresh opportunity just days before the start of the 2026 NFL regular season.
Neal, once considered one of the most physically gifted offensive linemen in his draft class, officially joined the Raiders’ practice squad on September 3 after being released by New York only days earlier.
For Las Vegas, the move represents a relatively low-risk opportunity to bring in a player whose NFL career began with enormous expectations.
The Giants selected Neal seventh overall in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft after a dominant college career at Alabama.
That draft position came with a major financial commitment.
Neal signed a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $24.55 million, fully guaranteed, effectively making him a $25 million investment for New York.
At 6-foot-7 and around 340 pounds, Neal entered the league with the size, strength and athletic profile teams typically search for in a cornerstone offensive tackle.
He immediately became New York’s starting right tackle and started 13 games during his rookie season.
But the trajectory of his career never developed the way the Giants originally envisioned.
Injuries became a recurring problem, repeatedly interrupting Neal’s development and making it difficult for him to establish consistency along the offensive line.
He appeared in only seven games during the 2023 season before returning for nine games, including seven starts, in 2024.
New York eventually attempted to revive his career by moving him from offensive tackle to right guard.
However, another setback followed.
Neal suffered a hamstring injury and ultimately failed to play a single regular-season snap during the 2025 campaign.
The Giants had already declined his fifth-year option, signaling that the organization was no longer prepared to make another major long-term investment in the former top-10 selection.
Neal returned to New York on a one-year deal in March 2026, hoping another training camp could provide the fresh start he desperately needed.
Instead, his comeback attempt ended with another disappointment.
New York released Neal on August 30 as the organization reduced its roster to 53 players ahead of the new season.
For a player who had once been viewed as a potential franchise tackle, suddenly finding himself unemployed just days before Week 1 represented a dramatic fall.
But Neal did not have to wait long for another opportunity.
The Raiders brought him in for a workout on September 3 alongside several other free agents as Las Vegas searched for additional depth before the regular season.
Following that evaluation, Las Vegas officially signed Neal to its practice squad along with defensive end Azeez Ojulari and wide receiver Ronnie Bell.
For Neal, the move could represent exactly the type of reset his career needs.
Instead of immediately being asked to protect a starting quarterback every Sunday, the practice squad gives him time to work with the Raiders’ coaching staff, regain confidence and prove that his physical ability remains intact.
Las Vegas also gains a former top-seven draft pick with significant starting experience without having to immediately commit an active roster spot.
Neal finished his Giants tenure having appeared in 29 regular-season games with 27 starts, giving the Raiders a player who has already experienced the demands of starting offensive line play in the NFL.
His versatility could also become valuable.
Although Neal entered the NFL as a tackle, New York’s attempt to move him inside to guard provides Las Vegas with another potential option if injuries strike multiple positions along the offensive line.
Nothing about the signing guarantees that Neal will eventually reach the level expected from a No. 7 overall selection.
His years in New York demonstrated how quickly injuries, inconsistency and changing coaching plans can derail even highly regarded prospects.
But for the first time in years, the pressure surrounding Neal may be significantly different.
He is no longer carrying the expectations attached to a nearly $25 million rookie contract or being asked to immediately justify a top-10 draft selection.
Now his challenge is much simpler: stay healthy, develop within the Raiders’ system and earn another opportunity on an active NFL roster.
For Las Vegas, that makes this one of the more intriguing reclamation projects entering the 2026 season.
The Giants finally moved on from a player they once believed could anchor their offensive line for a decade.
Only days later, the Raiders stepped in and gave that same former first-round pick another chance.
If Evan Neal can finally escape the injury problems that disrupted his rise, Las Vegas may have quietly added a former $25 million talent whose NFL story is far from finished.
