While one-game injuries are not usually worthy of mention, the Giants‘ situation at offensive line this week is a wild exception. It would be difficult to look back and find a more dire example of desperation on a depth chart. With regular starter Andrew Thomas and primary backup Matt Peart already designated out for tonight’s game against the Bills, according to Ryan Dunleavy of NY Post Sports, any other adjustments to availability could prove disastrous.
Semi-luckily for New York, the team’s other regular starter, Evan Neal, who was questionable coming into today, will be available to play tonight, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The Giants’ other projected starter will be Joshua Ezeudu, who has struggled mightily as of late. Beyond those two, Marcus McKethan is the only other tackle listed on the depth chart, while Yodny Cajuste and Jaylon Thomas sit on the practice squad but weren’t elevated for today’s game.
Things could get ugly if Neal tweaks his knee or if the offensive line faces any further adversity. Hopefully, this is only just a one-week issue that the Giants will be clear of following this week’s trip to Buffalo.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the league:
- After a blazing hot start to his NFL career, Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane was placed on injured reserve this week after suffering a knee injury. Based on the league’s rules for returning from IR, Achane wouldn’t be eligible for activation from the injury list until after the team’s Week 10 bye. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that’s exactly when Achane plans to come back. Achane’s absence isn’t expected to be any longer than necessary as Miami is expecting a Week 11 return for the 22-year-old.
- We reported this week that Dolphins cornerbacks coach Sam Madison had faith that we may see cornerback Jalen Ramsey return from knee surgery as early as November. That opinion was confirmed today by multiple sources. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Ramsey is far ahead of schedule and that a return by Week 11, after the team’s bye week, is not out of the question, allowing the star defender to play in Miami’s final eight games of the regular season. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Ramsey could return to practice as soon as this week, cautioning that the team may still choose to ease him back in “gradually” but that an early return is becoming more and more feasible.
- Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been week-to-week while missing the team’s last two games with a shoulder injury. While that status doesn’t really change with Schefter’s recent report that Watson could return as soon as next week, Schefter did specify that Watson is dealing with a subscapularis muscle contusion in the rotator cuff of his throwing shoulder, making it difficult for him to drive the ball down the field. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Cleveland is being “smart” with Watson, whom it views as its franchise quarterback.