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Sources confirmed to Vikings Wire late Wednesday that the team has agreed to terms on a deal with the New York Giants to acquire former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal in exchange for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The blockbuster acquisition comes at a make-or-break moment for Minnesota, who enter their Week 5 bye on the ropes after a gut-wrenching 24-21 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. That overseas heartbreaker wasn’t just a loss on the scoreboard; it was a demolition of the Vikings’ front five, with two key starters—center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Brian O’Neill—carted off with injuries that exposed the unit’s fragility like never before.
With backups shuffling in and out like a bad game of musical chairs, Minnesota’s “makeshift” O-line featured three non-starters against Pittsburgh, allowing three sacks and countless pressures on quarterback Sam Darnold. The result? A stalled run game, a harried passing attack, and a fanbase that’s seen enough patchwork to last a lifetime.
Enter Evan Neal: the 6-foot-7, 337-pound Alabama product who was once hailed as the future of the Giants’ trenches. Drafted seventh overall in 2022 amid sky-high expectations, Neal’s NFL journey has been a rollercoaster of positional tweaks and unfulfilled promise. Moved from tackle to guard in a bid for playing time, he’s logged 27 starts across both spots but has been relegated to the bench in 2025 behind Jon Runyan Jr. and Greg Van Roten. Zero snaps this season for the Giants, who are 1-3 and shopping assets ahead of their own reset.
But here’s the twist that makes this trade a potential masterstroke: Neal’s versatility. He’s got 1,200-plus snaps at tackle in college and the pros, making him a seamless plug-and-play replacement for O’Neill. And for a Vikings team coached by the offensive wizard Kevin O’Connell—who’s turned castoffs like Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson into Pro Bowl caliber—this smells like destiny.
“Kevin’s got a knack for unlocking talent that others couldn’t,” Adofo-Mensah added. “We’ve seen it with our skill players, and now we’re extending that to the line. Evan fits our culture, our scheme, and our timeline perfectly.”
O’Connell’s Reclamation Magic: Neal’s Perfect Landing Spot
Neal’s slide isn’t for lack of physical gifts. At 25, he’s still young enough to rebound, with the athleticism that made him a top-10 lock three drafts ago. Scouts rave about his footwork, punch, and run-blocking prowess—traits that could thrive in O’Connell’s zone-heavy, play-action attack. Imagine Neal pulling on sweeps or stonewalling edge rushers like Myles Garrett in the coming weeks; it’s the kind of vision that has Minnesota’s brass salivating.
For the Giants, it’s a salary cap dump and draft capital haul. Neal’s rookie deal carries a $4.8 million cap hit in 2025, and with New York eyeing a rebuild, moving him for a late-rounder (that could upgrade to a sixth based on snaps) is low-risk housekeeping. Giants GM Joe Schoen confirmed the deal in a terse team statement: “Evan’s a tremendous talent, and we’re excited for his next chapter. This gives us flexibility moving forward.”
The blockbuster acquisition comes at a make-or-break moment for Minnesota, who enter their Week 5 bye on the ropes after a gut-wrenching 24-21 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in London. That overseas heartbreaker wasn’t just a loss on the scoreboard; it was a demolition of the Vikings’ front five, with two key starters—center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Brian O’Neill—carted off with injuries that exposed the unit’s fragility like never before.
With backups shuffling in and out like a bad game of musical chairs, Minnesota’s “makeshift” O-line featured three non-starters against Pittsburgh, allowing three sacks and countless pressures on quarterback Sam Darnold. The result? A stalled run game, a harried passing attack, and a fanbase that’s seen enough patchwork to last a lifetime.
Enter Evan Neal: the 6-foot-7, 337-pound Alabama product who was once hailed as the future of the Giants’ trenches. Drafted seventh overall in 2022 amid sky-high expectations, Neal’s NFL journey has been a rollercoaster of positional tweaks and unfulfilled promise. Moved from tackle to guard in a bid for playing time, he’s logged 27 starts across both spots but has been relegated to the bench in 2025 behind Jon Runyan Jr. and Greg Van Roten. Zero snaps this season for the Giants, who are 1-3 and shopping assets ahead of their own reset.
But here’s the twist that makes this trade a potential masterstroke: Neal’s versatility. He’s got 1,200-plus snaps at tackle in college and the pros, making him a seamless plug-and-play replacement for O’Neill. And for a Vikings team coached by the offensive wizard Kevin O’Connell—who’s turned castoffs like Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson into Pro Bowl caliber—this smells like destiny.
“Kevin’s got a knack for unlocking talent that others couldn’t,” Adofo-Mensah added. “We’ve seen it with our skill players, and now we’re extending that to the line. Evan fits our culture, our scheme, and our timeline perfectly.”
O’Connell’s Reclamation Magic: Neal’s Perfect Landing Spot
Neal’s slide isn’t for lack of physical gifts. At 25, he’s still young enough to rebound, with the athleticism that made him a top-10 lock three drafts ago. Scouts rave about his footwork, punch, and run-blocking prowess—traits that could thrive in O’Connell’s zone-heavy, play-action attack. Imagine Neal pulling on sweeps or stonewalling edge rushers like Myles Garrett in the coming weeks; it’s the kind of vision that has Minnesota’s brass salivating.
For the Giants, it’s a salary cap dump and draft capital haul. Neal’s rookie deal carries a $4.8 million cap hit in 2025, and with New York eyeing a rebuild, moving him for a late-rounder (that could upgrade to a sixth based on snaps) is low-risk housekeeping. Giants GM Joe Schoen confirmed the deal in a terse team statement: “Evan’s a tremendous talent, and we’re excited for his next chapter. This gives us flexibility moving forward.”
