The New York Giants are nearing a turning point in their rebuild, and it looks like part of that process will involve finally cutting ties with some of their past mistakes. According to recent reports, the team is open to trading former third-round wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal.
It’s been a long time coming. Both players entered the league with promise — Hyatt as a vertical threat with blazing speed and Neal as a cornerstone offensive lineman out of Alabama — but neither has developed into what the Giants hoped.
Jalin Hyatt, Giants
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Hyatt’s value remains tied to potential, not production
Of the two, Hyatt might still hold a little trade value. The 24-year-old receiver has one year left on his rookie deal and could appeal to a team looking for a low-cost deep threat.
The problem is that the Giants have never really figured out how to use him. Hyatt has been buried on the depth chart, often left inactive despite the offense’s desperate need for speed and separation. This season, he’s caught just three passes for 17 yards — numbers that make you wonder if the coaching staff ever truly believed in him.
A fresh start elsewhere might do him good. His straight-line speed remains elite, and in the right offense, he could still carve out a meaningful role as a vertical playmaker. The Giants, meanwhile, would likely settle for a late-round pick swap just to move on.
Evan Neal’s future looks bleak in New York
If Hyatt’s situation feels disappointing, Neal’s has been downright disastrous. Once viewed as a foundational building block, the former seventh overall pick has become one of the biggest draft busts in recent Giants history.
After struggling mightily at right tackle for two seasons, Neal was shifted inside to guard this offseason — a move that clearly hasn’t impressed the coaching staff. He’s been a healthy scratch every week, and at this point, it’s fair to say the team has given up on him.
Neal’s on-field performance tells the story. Over 1,781 career snaps, he’s surrendered 98 pressures, 12 sacks, and committed 18 penalties. Injuries have certainly played a role, but even when healthy, his technique and footwork have lagged behind expectations.
evan neal, NFL: New York Giants Training Camp
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A painful admission for Joe Schoen and the front office
For general manager Joe Schoen, moving on from Neal would be an admission of a major misstep. Drafting him seventh overall in 2022 was supposed to solve the team’s long-standing offensive line issues, but instead, it’s only deepened them.
At this point, the Giants would be lucky to get anything of substance in return — maybe a late conditional pick if another team believes it can revive his career on the interior. It’s a steep fall from grace for a player once projected as a top-tier offensive tackle prospect.
Still, cutting ties might be necessary. Hanging onto failed picks out of pride only delays progress, and the Giants can’t afford that right now.
The harsh truth is that both Neal and Hyatt are reminders of how far this team still has to go in building a consistent foundation. Sometimes, the only way forward is by admitting what didn’t work — and finally letting go.