Giants Activate Golden Tate
Finally, the Giants will get to utilize Golden Tate. On Tuesday, the Giants announced roster moves to make way for the wide receiver as he returns from suspension. 
[RELATED: Giants’ Ryan Connelly Done For Year]
To clear spots for Tate, and new linebacker Josiah Tauaefa, the G-Men have released wide receivers Bennie Fowler and T.J. Jones. The adjustment leaves the Giants with five active WRs – Tate, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Darius Slayton, and Cody Core – rather than six.
Tate inked a four-year, $37MM deal with the Giants this offseason as they moved on from superstar Odell Beckham Jr. The hope for GM Dave Gettleman & Co. is that Tate will provide the Giants with the locker room stability and veteran guidance that they were perhaps not getting from OBJ, even though Tate cannot realistically match his production.
Tate’s big debut was stalled in the offseason when he was suspended four games for PEDs. The veteran claims that his positive test was the result of fertility drugs he was taking in an effort to grow his family. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to get the suspension overturned, delaying his 2019 season by a full four weeks.
When Tate joined up with the Giants, he probably assumed that he would be catching passes from Eli Manning. Instead, Manning has been given the hook in favor of No. 6 overall pick Daniel Jones. If they can sync up on Sunday, and if the Giants’ defense can handle the Vikings as well as the Bears just did, the G-Men could advance to 3-2 behind a three-game winning streak.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/19
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Waived: DE Abdullah Anderson
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: S Kavon Frazier
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers: DE Chris Peace (from Chargers)
Giants’ Ryan Connelly Done For Year
It’s official. Doctors have confirmed that Giants linebacker Ryan Connelly is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL. 
The Giants will place Connelly on injured reserve, which will formally end his 2019 campaign and open up another spot on the 53-man roster. It’s a bad blow for the G-Men, who also have fellow ‘backers Alec Ogletree and Tae Davis dealing with injuries.
Connelly, a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft, notched his first career interception against the Bucs in the club’s Week 3 victory and doubled up with another pick against the Redskins on Sunday. He seemed ticketed for more big moments in the final 12 games of the season – instead, his rookie campaign will end after four games, 20 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, and one sack.
The Giants are riding high behind the play of rookie Daniel Jones, who has taken over for Eli Manning and has the club at 2-2. However, their two-game winning streak is now in jeopardy thanks to injuries to Connelly and other key defenders. They’ll try their luck against the Vikings at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Giants Fear Ryan Connelly Tore ACL
Ryan Connelly‘s promising time as a starter appears to have ended in devastating fashion. The Giants fear the rookie linebacker tore his ACL in their win over the Redskins, a source told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.
It isn’t official yet but since field tests for ACL tears are extremely accurate, he almost certainly is out for the season. It’s a really tough blow for New York, as they’re already quite thin at linebacker. Alec Ogletree and Tae Davis both are dealing with injuries at the moment, which thrust Connelly into the starting role. Connelly was playing really well before going down, notching a sack and an interception.
He also had an interception in their win over the Buccaneers last week, and was looking like a potential key piece of the defense moving forward. The Giants drafted Connelly in the fifth round, 143rd overall, back in April. New York has been rejuvenated by the insertion of rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, and they now sit at 2-2. They’re right back in the thick of things, but the defense is now very banged up.
Giants Place WR Russell Shepard On IR
The Giants have placed wide receiver Russell Shepard on injured reserve and promoted running back Jon Hilliman from the practice squad, the club announced today.
Shepard, 29, had been working as New York’s fourth wideout behind Sterling Shepard, Bennie Fowler, and Cody Latimer. On 73 offensive snaps, Shepard had posted three receptions for 25 yards on eight targets. With veteran pass-catcher Golden Tate due back from a suspension in Week 5, Shepard — who recently suffered a foot sprain — is no longer needed. He could potentially return from IR in eight weeks, but it seems unlikely the Giants would use an IR/return slot on Shepard.
Hilliman will become New York’s third healthy running back behind Wayne Gallman and Elijhaa Penny, and will serve as depth while starter Saquon Barkley is shelved four-to-eight weeks with a high-ankle sprain. A 2019 undrafted free agent, Hilliman signed with the Giants’ practice squad August after getting waived at final cutdowns. He spent three years at Boston College and one at Rutgers, managing 3.5 yards per carry during his collegiate career.
No Surgery For Giants’ Saquon Barkley
Excellent news for the Giants. Saquon Barkley will not require surgery on his injured ankle, according to specialist Dr. Robert Anderson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 
Barkley’s high-ankle sprain is expected to shelve him for 4-8 weeks. Initially, a “tightrope” surgery was considered as an option. It’s the same surgery that Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had late last year and sometimes can aid in recovery for ankle injuries. Still, surgery is never fun and the fact that Anderson is not recommending it for Barkley suggests that his sprain is not of the more serious variety.
At minimum, Barkley will miss games against the Redskins, Vikings, Patriots, and Cardinals. It has been suggested that the Giants could keep him out for a longer stretch, giving him the club’s Week 11 bye week to recuperate. After that, Barkley could return for the team’s final six games.
The Giants are 1-2 thanks to Daniel Jones‘ late-game Week 3 heroics and the Bucs lack of defensive awareness. Next up – a Sunday matchup against Washington with Wayne Gallman as the primary tailback to try and improve to .500.
NFC East Notes: Haskins, Cooper, Jeffery
Could the dawn of the Dwayne Haskins era be upon us? Redskins starting QB Case Keenum is dealing with a foot injury and did not practice today, which could force Jay Gruden to turn to one of his backup signal-callers when his team takes on the Giants this weekend. John Keim of ESPN.com notes that Colt McCoy, who hasn’t taken part in a full practice since August 11, participated in the team’s walk-through today, but Gruden wants to see him plant and push off before he thrusts him back into action.
Haskins, the 15th-overall pick in the 2019 draft, is Washington’s QB of the future, and Gruden did not rule out the possibility of turning to the Ohio State product this weekend. However, Gruden does expect Keenum to be ready to go, which means Redskins fans may have to wait a little longer for their first regular season glimpse of Haskins.
Now for more injury-related items from the NFC East:
- A brief scare for the Cowboys, as WR Amari Cooper left practice early today with a right ankle injury. However, Todd Archer of ESPN.com says the team does not believe it’s a serious issue and expects Cooper to see his normal workload against the Saints on Sunday night.
- Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery was a full participant in practice today, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That obviously suggests that he’ll play in tomorrow night’s key matchup with the Packers. Philadelphia could certainly use him, as the team is at risk of falling to 1-3.
- The Giants are still short-handed at wideout, as receiver Russell Shepard has been diagnosed with a foot sprain, per Rapoport (via Twitter). Shepard’s availability for Week 4 is in doubt.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: T John Wetzel
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kyle Peko
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Kofi Amichia
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DT Destiny Vaeao
Denver Broncos
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Fred Brown
- Released from IR via injury settlement: LB Dadi Nicolas
- Waived: WR River Cracraft
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Marcus Sherels
- Waived: LB Devante Downs
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Nate Stupar
- Waived: TE Eric Tomlinson
Oakland Raiders
- Placed on IR: LB Marquel Lee
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Craig James
- Waived: WR Greg Ward
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LS Garrison Sanborn
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Patrick O’Connor
Washington Redskins
- Released from IR via injury settlement: C Casey Dunn
- Waived: DT T.Y. McGill
Giants Work Out RBs
Following the injury to Saquon Barkley, the Giants worked out running backs Fozzy Whittaker and Zach Zenner, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The club also took a look at Benny Cunningham, as The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
As Barkley rests up from a high ankle sprain, the club is preparing for anywhere between 4-8 weeks without him. In the interim, Wayne Gallman will take over as the club’s top tailback. The good news is that the team is not planning on putting Barkley on injured reserve at this time, which leaves open the possibility that he will be able to return inside of two months.
At this moment, Gallman’s only backup is Elijhaa Penny, a former UDFA who previously spent time with the Cardinals. Last year, Penny tallied eight catches for 50 yards plus seven totes for 25 yards.
Whittaker, 30, spent the last five years with the Panthers, but missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL. His biggest year came in 2016 when he registered 4.6 yards per carry off of 57 attempts.
Giants’ Saquon Barkley To Miss 4-8 Weeks
Giants running back Saquon Barkley could miss anywhere from 4-8 weeks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Right now, the longer timeline is considered more likely, given the nature of his high ankle sprain and the timing of the Giants’ bye. 
The Giants will have off in Week 11, so the smarter play for the G-Men might be to give the young star a full two months to recuperate. In the interim, Wayne Gallman figures to take over as the team’s primary back. He’s not on Barkley’s level, but Gallman does have a career 4.0 yards per carry average to his credit. Gallman might also benefit from the additional running threat that new starter Daniel Jones provides.
Meanwhile, Barkley is intent on getting back on the field ASAP.
“I’m not out for the season,” Barkley said on Sunday. “I’m going to do whatever I can to get back as quickly as possible.”
Barkley, 22, averaged 5.0 yards per tote last year and also caught 91 passes for 721 yards. At minimum, he’ll miss contests against the Redskins, Vikings, Patriots, and Cardinals.