The New York Giants head into training camp with a quiet but important problem: no clear solution at right guard. It’s not the flashiest position, but it might be the biggest mystery on the offensive line heading into the 2025 season.
Rather than bring in a proven free agent, the Giants are banking on two less-than-ideal options — 35-year-old Greg Van Roten and a still-developing Evan Neal, who’s learning a new position after struggling at right tackle.
Van Roten was a steady presence last year, starting every game and logging over 1,100 snaps. But reliability doesn’t mean dominance — he gave up 35 pressures and seven sacks. At this stage in his career, what you see is what you get: dependable, but not a game-changer.
Then there’s Neal. Once viewed as a cornerstone at tackle, he’s now trying to find a second life at guard. The team’s giving him reps at left guard during OTAs while Jon Runyan recovers, hoping he can adapt. His size and strength are promising inside, but the same issues that hurt him outside — balance, leverage, and hand use — haven’t magically disappeared.
This isn’t your typical training camp battle. It’s not about who wins the job — it’s about who loses it less. Van Roten has the experience; Neal has the upside. Neither is a sure thing, and the coaching staff will have to figure out which risk is more manageable.
The good news? The rest of the line looks decent, with Andrew Thomas, Runyan, Jermaine Eluemunor, and John Michael Schmitz forming a solid core. But if a young quarterback ends up under center at some point this season, every weak link becomes a much bigger deal.
The Giants don’t need an All-Pro at right guard. But they do need someone who won’t be a liability when it matters most.
The Giants’ O-line has one glaring question mark – and it’s not where you think.
Breaking down the concerning right guard battle no one’s talking about
