Daboll evasive about Evan Neal

[MightyGiants]

Q: What's going on with (tackle) Evan Neal? Because when we came to camp, (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe (Schoen) said he wasn't far. And you guys also originally thought, you said you expected to him be back for the start of training camp. Now we're a couple weeks in, has there been a different injury? Or is it just a setback, or it took longer for him to recover?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's just rehabbing. When he's ready, he'll be ready to go out there. But, he's not ready.

Q: But in the spring, it seemed like he was working towards getting on the field. And you haven't been able to say, has there been a setback? I don't understand why you can't just say if there has or has not.

BRIAN DABOLL: Look, he's working hard. He's trying to do everything he can do to get better. He's just not ready to go yet. When he is, he'll be ready. I'm not going to get into all the particulars. He's rehabbing. When he's ready, he'll be ready.

Q: Is he in your plans for week one at this point?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'm just on today's practice and this week. He won't be ready to go, I would say, against these (Detroit) Lions. We'll take it, however his rehab process goes, which I can't tell you how that's going to go, he's making progress. I think he's doing a little bit more each day. They're backing off on him some days. And when he's ready, he'll be ready.

Q: Are you disappointed that a high draft pick like him, though, has had surgery, we believe, in January, right? Whether there was a setback or not. This has been a really long time.

BRIAN DABOLL: I think you asked that the first time. Everybody's different. Everybody handles things different. It's obviously not my profession in terms of coming back, medically. I know he's doing everything he can do. Whether it's a high draft pick or undrafted free agent, you care about all your guys. So when he's ready, we'll put him out there.

Q: How disappointing has this been that he's a guy, forget a setback from this injury, really needed to have a pretty impressive training camp and he hasn't been able to get on the field yet?

BRIAN DABOLL: Again, we just control what we can control, and I think he's doing that as well. So when he's ready, he's ready.

Q: I understand that you're generally guarded on injury stuff but with him in particular, there was the misdiagnosis initially, fans start to turn on guys if they feel like they've been out for a long time. Do you think it would help at all to give any sort of transparency as to what exactly has been the why in such a long layoff?

BRIAN DABOLL: You know how we deal with injuries. He's working as hard as he can. Everything he can do, he's doing. And that's all you can ask for of a guy.

Q: At this point, when he comes back, is he competing for a starting spot or sliding back into a starting spot, or is he working from the position of the guys that have been on the field have to mold as a starting group and that he's a reserve?

BRIAN DABOLL: That's down the road. Let's get him healthy first, and when he comes back, we'll deal with that.

Q: How much has your plan had to change at right tackle though? Considering that it's obviously taken longer for him to get back than you thought?

BRIAN DABOLL: Change? Yeah, we put (tackle Jermaine) Eluemunor) out there. Played right tackle a bunch. Done a nice job.

Q: But that's obviously a change of plan because you didn't do that in the spring, right?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah. That's why we have (Jermaine) Eluemunor, too. The guy plays right tackle at a high level, and happy he's here.

[DaveBrown74]

Doesn't exactly exude excitement or confidence about Evan Neal's progress, either on the health front or as a player in general.

And I certainly can't blame him. This pick has been a total disaster.

[Painter]

I don't think Daboll's deflecting the injury/recovery questions is the issue. Rather, I suspect that there is some real doubt about Neal's ability to play OT on either side which leaves us to wonder whether they plan to move him inside if and when they decide he's healthy enough to play there. Or will he be a buslop like Flowers was no matter where he was put by the Jints, Jags, Phins or the Commanders twice?

Cheers!

[jimc]

Damn shame about this player.

[Jersey Heel]

Evasive is an understatement. Sheesh. That was painful to read.

[y_so_blu]

Daboll didn't even confirm that Neal would be competing for a starting job when he returns. Which, as non-statements go, actually says quite a bit.

[4 Aces]

I've defended Neal and think he improved last year, but I'm also old school. I remember when rookies - even highly drafted ones - didn't waltz into the starting lineup without earning it.

I want Schmitz and Neal to earn their way into the starting 5. Schoen did a good job getting some grissled veterans in here who can play. Chew glass and start playing like a savage or hit the bricks. That's what it takes in the NFL. And your technique has to be good too. Otherwise all the upside in the world means jack squat as you get run over.

[Philosophers]

Someone should ask what specific injury is that he is recovering from as I am unsure we know exactly why he is out.

[MrGap92]

Waste of a first round pick, I would maybe try him at guard or trade him if they can get even a late day 3 pick.

Doubtful though

[MightyGiants]

Someone should ask what specific injury is that he is recovering from as I am unsure we know exactly why he is out.

Daboll refuses to disclose injuries, he just talks body part or regions of the body.

[TDToomer]

Daboll refuses to disclose injuries, he just talks body part or regions of the body.

That is quite common in hockey. Teams are only required to reveal if it is an upper body or lower body injury. This is done to prevent targeting the injure by an opponent or give anymore intel than necessary. I don't always agree with it because it is so vague.

[Philosophers]

It is too vague.  Leaves doubt as to whether it is something else entirely.

[MightyGiants]

It is too vague.  Leaves doubt as to whether it is something else entirely.

I strongly suspect there was another injury involved. One day in camp I saw Neal working out.  His ankles weren't heavily taped but he was wearing a compression sleeve on his left leg.  When Neal tried to sprint, I though his left leg had a bit of a hitch

[spiderblue43]

Neal hasn't changed positions yet, but there's probably opportunities in the cafeteria based on that Daboll take on his future.