Giants make $17 million decision on Evan Neal's fifth-year option

The New York Giants made some big moves during the 2025 NFL Draft and immediately after, they announced their decision on Evan Neal's contract.

Neal, the No. 7, overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, has a fifth-year team option in his contract for the 2026 season. The deadline for the Giants to exercise or decline the option is May 1.

However, general manager Joe Schoen announced Saturday that the Giants will be declining his option, which is valued at $16.7 million fully guaranteed, per Over The Cap.

This decision comes as no surprise even though the Giants announced they will exercise the fifth-year option for defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Despite Neal being one of the first selections Schoen made after he was hired as the general manager of the Giants in 2022, it's a situation in which both parties would benefit from parting ways after the 2025 season.

During the 2024 season, Neal allowed two sacks and 17 total pressures on 314 pass-blocking snaps while committing six penalties, per Pro Football Focus. He did grade out with a pretty strong run-blocking grade (80.8), however.

Neal will likely be in competition for the right guard spot in 2025, but there's a good chance this is his final season with the Giants.