Andrew Thomas injury: Giants OT feared to have serious foot issue that would require season-ending surgery

The 2-4 New York Giants haven’t had much to smile about in 2024 besides their NFL-best pass rush (26 sacks), and All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas.

Now, they will likely no longer have Thomas. He is dealing with a foot injury that could require surgery, which would probably end his 2024 campaign, per NFL Media. The 2022 second-team All-Pro and fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is reportedly meeting with foot expert Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Should Thomas go down for the rest of the season, New York could turn to its seventh overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft in Evan Neal. The 24-year-old started all 13 of his games in 2022 as a rookie at right tackle, and he started all seven games he played in 2023 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Neal has been relegated to backup status to start the 2024 season with the Giants signing Jermaine Eluemunor this offseason and then switching him from guard to tackle when Neal wasn’t ready for training camp.

Neal ranked 84th out of 85 qualifying tackles in Pro Football Focus’ grading system in 2023 after surrendering 20 quarterback pressures on only 309 pass-blocking snaps. That was after a rookie year in which he ranked 86th out of 89 tackles after allowing 52 quarterback pressures on 534 pass-blocking snaps. The Giants offense, a moribund group that scored its first touchdown in a home game started by quarterback Daniel Jones in 651 days (since Jan. 1 of 2023) in their 17-7 Week 6 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, could plunge to new lows going forward.