Giants’ Saquon Barkley Suffers Ankle Injury
Giants running back Saquon Barkley had to be carted off after suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter on Sunday. Barkley was later ruled out for the game, along with quarterback Daniel Jones (concussion protocol) and wide receiver Kenny Golladay (knee). 
Barkley’s left foot bent the wrong way after a collision with Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis. An overhead shot of the injury (Twitter link via Will Brinson of CBS Sports) showed severe swelling. That likely indicates a lateral inversion sprain, according to Dr. David J. Chao (on Twitter). Additional testing will confirm what Barkley is dealing with, but it sounds like he’ll miss a few games at minimum.
Jones was the next star to go after clashing helmets with linebacker Jabrill Cox. Mike Glennon stepped in for Jones, and he may get the call again next week if Jones needs additional time to recover. Now, Golladay has also been ruled out for the game, leaving the Giants offense severely shorthanded. Beyond those three, they’re already without wide receivers Sterling Shepard (hamstring) and Darius Slayton (also hamstring), plus left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot).
The Giants entered today’s game at 1-3, dead last in the NFC East.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/21
Here is Week 5 Saturday’s minor move spree:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: OL Danny Isidora, TE Ross Travis, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Promoted: WR Juwan Green, CB Chris Williamson
- Waived: TE Parker Hesse
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: G Tyre Phillips
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Anthony Walker
- Promoted: DE Joe Jackson, DB Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: FB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: WR Tyrie Cleveland
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: OL Marcus Cannon
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, WR Chris Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: QB Brett Hundley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: K Matthew Wright
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from IR: LB Willie Gay
- Promoted: DE Demone Harris
- Waived: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: CB Ryan Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: DT Raekwon Davis
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford, DE Jabaal Sheard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith
- Waived: WR Dan Chisena
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Myles Bryant, OL James Ferentz, OL Alex Redmond, G William Sherman
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
- Released: DT Christian Ringo
New York Giants
- Promoted: T Korey Cunningham
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Blake Cashman
- Promoted: S Jarrod Wilson, TE Kenny Yeboah
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Le’Raven Clark
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: S Karl Joseph, WR Cody White
- Released: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: WR Travis Benjamin, TE Tanner Hudson, QB Nate Sudfeld
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: OLB Cam Gill
- Promoted: TE Codey McElroy, DB Rashard Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Marcus Johnson
- Promoted: S Jamal Carter, DL Caraun Reid, LB John Simon
- Waived: LB Sharif Finch
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
Packers, LB Jaylon Smith Finalizing Deal
5:09pm: This may not be a done deal just yet. While the Packers are in discussions, Smith has not informed them of a commitment, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Other teams are still pursuing the sixth-year veteran, though Demovsky adds the Packers are the favorites. Still, Smith is believed to want to play in Green Bay, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). That may still be where this is headed, but the process is not finished.
4:32pm: After news of the Packers’ interest in Jaylon Smith surfaced, it appears the linebacker is planning to head to Wisconsin. The Packers and Smith are finalizing a contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The Giants and Eagles may have had Smith on their radars, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but the former Cowboys defender is expected to land in Green Bay (Twitter link). Smith and Matt LaFleur were both at Notre Dame in 2014, when the former was a sophomore and the latter the Fighting Irish’s quarterbacks coach. LaFleur remains high on the linebacker.
The Packers did win a bit of a bidding war for Smith, but with the Cowboys paying most of his 2021 salary, Rapoport notes this amount to more of a recruiting battle (Twitter link). After spending time in the northern Midwest in college, Smith will head back to Big Ten country. The Cowboys are on the hook for Smith’s $7.2MM 2021 base salary. Despite losing ex-Packer Blake Martinez for the season, the Giants are not believed to have expressed strong interest, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets.
Smith made the Pro Bowl in 2019, and his 154 tackles last season finished behind only the Texans’ Zach Cunningham. Still in his age-26 season, Smith has graded as a top-15 linebacker this year, per Pro Football Focus, and should be set to see extensive time on Green Bay’s defense. The Packers have seen mid-offseason addition De’Vondre Campbell deliver thus far; the ex-Falcons and Cardinals starter is averaging 10 tackles per game. Green Bay will have another 2016 draftee join him soon. Campbell went in the 2016 fourth round; Smith — due only to the severe foot injury he suffered in that year’s Fiesta Bowl — lasted until Round 2.
Dallas ended Smith’s five-plus-season tenure Tuesday night, doing so after having added three linebackers — first-rounder Micah Parsons, fourth-rounder Jabril Cox and UFA Keanu Neal — this offseason. Smith played 56% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps thus far this season, which represents a significant downgrade from his full-time work over the past four years. Leading a linebacking corps that housed injury-prone cogs Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee, Smith has not missed a game since his 2016 injury-redshirt year of sorts.
Joe Judge: No “Radical Changes” Expected Yet
The Giants are off to an 0-3 start, and one of the biggest sources of angst for frustrated fans is offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Second-year HC Joe Judge showed he wasn’t afraid of making an in-season firing when he sacked O-line coach Marc Colombo last November, but Judge is not ready to make a similar move just yet.
When asked about Garrett’s job security, Judge said, “[w]e’re going to stay consistent with what we’re doing and keep improving as a team. here’s a lot of things we’ve got to clean up coaching-wise, execution-wise. We’re going to stay on track with it and make sure we get those things right before we make any radical changes” (via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv).
Despite scoring the second-fewest points in the league in 2020, New York retained Garrett largely because the club did not want young QB Daniel Jones to have to adapt to a third OC in his third year in the league. And, though Garrett has been heavily criticized for his scheme and play-calling, Jones has performed well over the first three games of the season.
The No. 6 overall pick of the 2019 draft has completed over 65% of his passes for 782 yards and has thrown two touchdowns without throwing a pick. He has also rushed for two scores. His efforts represent one of the few bright spots in what is shaping up to be another disappointing year for the Giants.
Of course, if the team does not experience a major reversal of fortunes, then it would be shocking to see Garrett and GM Dave Gettleman brought back for 2022 (if they even make it to the end of this season). But for now, it sounds as if Garrett will keep his post for at least a while longer.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/21
Here is Saturday’s batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, OL Eric Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Cam Lewis
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: WR Malik Turner
- Promoted: DT Austin Faoliu, DT Justin Hamilton, RB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: LB Curtis Robinson, OL Austin Schlottmann
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: K Ryan Santoso
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Placed on IR: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, DB A.J. Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: RB Buddy Howell, LB Justin Lawler
- Waived: S J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: C Cameron Tom
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, T Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
New York Giants
- Promoted: C Jonotthan Harrison
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: S Ashtyn Davis, S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams
- Waived: RB Josh Adams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: OL Jack Driscoll, CB Josiah Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: OT Chaz Green, WR Cody White
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DL Maurice Hurst
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, TE Codey McElroy, CB Rashard Robinson
- Waived: DL Khalil Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Amani Bledsoe, FB Tory Carter
Giants Activate WR John Ross From IR
The Giants will be relying fully on offseason acquisitions at wide receiver Sunday, having ruled out both Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. One of their outside hires will make his season debut in Week 4.
John Ross is off the Giants’ IR list, moving onto the team’s active roster after the mandatory three weeks. The Giants placed Ross on IR with a hamstring injury, one he suffered early in training camp. After extensive rehab, Ross will have a chance to begin his second-chance effort.
Ross will join Kenny Golladay, first-round pick Kadarius Toney and late-summer waiver claim Collin Johnson as the Giants’ top receivers against the Saints. Shepard and Slayton are on the shelf due to hamstring injuries sustained in Week 3.
Despite Ross not coming particularly close to justifying the top-10 investment the Bengals made, the Giants gave him $2.25MM this offseason. They signed Ross before coming to terms with Golladay, and the team later drafted Toney. Ross still holds the Combine’s 40-yard dash record time — 4.22 seconds — but he did not pan out in Cincinnati and has run into frequent injury trouble during his career.
Ross did show promise in 2019, averaging 63.3 yards per game over an eight-game sample, but that was the only season in which he cleared 250 yards.
Giants Restructure James Bradberry’s Deal
Holding less than $600K in cap space going into the weekend, the Giants created some breathing room Saturday. They restructured James Bradberry‘s contract, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets.
The team created $2.7MM in cap room by redoing their top cornerback’s contract. This marks the second time this year the team has used the Bradberry pact to add funds. Big Blue created $4MM in cap space with its previous base-to-bonus conversion involving Bradberry’s contract.
While the Giants have made some personnel missteps under their current regime, the Bradberry contract has worked out. The Giants gave the former Dave Gettleman Panthers draftee a three-year, $43.5MM deal in March 2020. Bradberry made his first Pro Bowl last season and has four interceptions as a Giant.
The 28-year-old defender’s deal was already set to count $20.5MM on the Giants’ 2022 cap. That number will again rise. Given Bradberry’s performance and his high cap number next season, the Giants would seemingly stand to benefit from an extension that keeps their standout cover man in New York into the mid-2020s. New York also has Adoree’ Jackson set to count $15.5MM against the cap next season. The cornerbacks’ 2022 cap figures are third and fourth on the team — behind Leonard Williams and Kenny Golladay.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/29/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OL Harry Crider, OL Javon Patterson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Jordan Lucas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: RB Trey Ragas, WR Javon Wims
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed (from Steelers): OLB Jamir Jones
New York Giants
- Signed: Omari Cobb, OL Sam Jones
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett, TE Ryan Izzo, QB Jake Luton
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Abdullah Anderson
Washington Football Team
- Signed: WR Kelvin Harmon
Giants Add Isaiah Wilson To Practice Squad
The Giants are signing former Titans first-rounder Isaiah Wilson to the practice squad (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Despite his turbulent Tennessee tenure, the offensive tackle could be a tremendous value addition for the G-Men. 
Wilson auditioned for the Giants on Tuesday and showed enough to earn a spot on the 16-man taxi squad. Of course, the NFL had higher hopes for him last year when the Titans made him the No. 29 overall pick in the draft.
The Titans traded Wilson to the Dolphins after a four-snap rookie season. Then, he ran into extensive off-field trouble as a rookie and encountered more this year, with a January arrest involving a high-speed chase leading the Dolphins to cut bait as well.
The Giants could certainly use Wilson’s help up front with Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux are out for the season. If Wilson impresses in practice, he might be able to support former Georgia teammate Andrew Thomas and veteran Nate Solder on the outside.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/21
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Mazzi Wilkins
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Nate McCrary, S Jordan Richards
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DB Madre Harper
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Herb Miller
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Ibraheim Campbell, TE David Wells
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Ka’dar Hollman, OT Jordan Mills
New York Giants
- Released: WR Matt Cole, DT Willie Henry, OT Foster Sarell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: TE Richard Rodgers
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Sharif Finch
- Released: DL Andrew Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Jace Sternberger
- Released: WR De’Quan Hampton, TE Michael Jacobsen, WR Connor Wedington
Washington Football Team
- Released: WR Dalton Schoen, DT Gabe Wright