LANDOVER — The Giants made rookie third-round pick Darius Alexander and former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal healthy inactives for Sunday’s Week 1 opener at the Washington Commanders.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas (right foot) was the biggest name on the Giants’ scratch list due to his ongoing recovery from last year’s Lisfranc surgery, but his absence was due to injury.
Jameis Winston’s presence on the inactive list also was eye-opening, given his veteran status, but it wasn’t a surprise due to Jaxson Dart’s clear place as the No. 2 QB on the depth chart.
As for Alexander, however, the team drafted the interior lineman out of Toledo believing he would help fix their defense’s problems stopping the run. But he had an underwhelming training camp and preseason.
So the Giants instead elevated Elijah Garcia from the practice squad to play on Sunday in defensive line coach Andre Patterson’s rotation alongside Dexter Lawrence, Roy Robertson-Harris, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and D.J. Davidson.
Neal, meanwhile, struggled this summer in his position switch from right tackle to offensive guard.
The Giants gave him a chance to compete with Greg Van Roten for the starting right guard job, but Neal fell behind both Van Roten and Aaron Stinnie and tumbled out of the Week 1 lineup.
Rookie seventh-round tight end Thomas Fidone II, who mimicked Zach Ertz in practice this week for the Giants’ scout team offense, and safety Beau Brady were also inactive for the opener.
