EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Injury has been added to insult.
In addition to enduring another defeat yesterday in what has become a dispiriting season, the Giants suffered a spate of injuries, most notably on the defense line, that will almost certainly require roster reinforcements for the final five games.
First among the wounded is Dexter Lawrence, the Giants' best player, who suffered a dislocated left elbow in the third quarter of the 27-20 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Cowboys in Dallas. Though his arm was in a brace and a sling after the game, Lawrence expressed hope he would be able to play through the injury. The chances of that happening are slim.
"I would say that I anticipate it being long term injury, the rest of the season," coach Brian Daboll said today. "Still going to have to take a look at a few different things, but not very optimistic about it.
The two-time Pro Bowler was hurt on an otherwise routine play that began at the Cowboys' 30-yard line with 9:22 remaining in the third quarter. Dallas running back Rico Dowdle took a handoff from Cooper Rush and moved to his right. Lawrence was double-teamed by rookie center Cooper Beebe and guard Brock Hoffman. He managed to free his left arm, which he extended to impede Dowdle at the same time Bobby Okereke, who lined up directly behind Lawrence, moved up from his linebacker position. Lawrence was holding his arm straight out when Okereke collided with it, dislocating the elbow. Dowdle gained three yards.
"I overextended and Bobby came crashing down and it popped out of place," Lawrence said. "I looked at him and said, 'You just popped my elbow out of place.' And then I thought, 'I wonder if this is what shock feels like.'"
With Lawrence's season likely finished, the Giants have lost their best lineman on both offense and defense; left tackle Andrew Thomas underwent surgery after suffering a season-ending foot injury against Cincinnati on Oct. 13.
Lawrence wasn't the only defensive lineman hurt in in the game. Rakeem Nunez-Roches joined Lawrence in the locker room in the second half after suffering a stinger. D.J. Davidson hurt his shoulder in the second quarter and left the game after playing only 10 snaps.
"Nacho (Nuñez-Roches) was pretty sore this morning," Daboll said. "So, he'll, obviously, have to go through and get a fair amount of treatment. How long or how short, I think that's too early to tell. (Davidson is) sore as well. We'll just take that day by day."
The injuries left second-year pro Jordon Riley and rookie free agent Elijah Chatman as the Giants' only healthy defensive tackles.
The Giants were down players from their front even before the carnage yesterday. The Giants lost nose tackle Armon Watts when he hurt his shoulder last Sunday against Tampa Bay. He was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. In addition, the Giants pass rushing outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari was placed on I.R. after hurting his toe vs. the Buccaneers. Ojulari and Brian Burns are tied for second on the team with 6.0 sacks.
Daboll was asked if the Giants will have to sign defensive linemen before hosting New Orleans on Dec. 8.
"There's definitely a chance of that," he said. "These guys are coming in here and getting looked at. We only had three guys out there with the second half. Davidson came down, Nacho and Dexter. So, we have Riley. He's been inactive for us. Again, we work with all our guys. We try to continue to improve them. If other guys aren't ready, then we're going to have to do a good job of bringing guys in and bringing up practice squad players and getting them ready to play."
The Giants have two defensive linemen, Casey Rogers and Jordan Murray, on their practice squad.
Lawrence leads the Giants with a career-high 9.0 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. He was one of the NFL's most dominant defensive players early in the season, recording all nine of his sacks in the first seven games, including 3.0 in a victory in Seattle. Led by Lawrence's constant harassment of quarterbacks, the Giants led the league with 35 sacks in their first eight games. But they have just one in the four games since then, and Lawrence hasn't recorded a sack in any of the last five games.
"As a big guy inside he calls for a lot of attention, so that's a big loss for us," Burns said. "But, more importantly, I'm worried about his well-being."
Lawrence is a dominant and vocal presence on the field and in the locker room. With his likely absence, long-snapper Casey Kreiter and Okereke are the Giants' only 2024 captains still active with the team. They began the season with five elected captains, but Lawrence and Thomas are injured, and quarterback Daniel Jones was released last week. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
"Dex is our leader," Okereke said. "When he's healthy and back on the field, we're a much better team."
It appears that will not happen until 2025.
*The injuries were not limited to the defense. Rookie tight end Theo Johnson hurt his foot in the game and Daboll said, "This one's probably going to be a long term one as well." Perhaps season ending? "I think there's potential of that," Daboll said. "We are going to get a few more tests, but I definitely think there's a there's a potential of that."
Johnson, a fourth-round draft choice from Penn State, is fourth on the team and first among non-wide receivers with 29 receptions for 331 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown against Washington.
*Daboll was not ready to say whether Tommy DeVito or Drew Lock will start at quarterback against the Saints. Lock made his first Giants start yesterday because DeVito was sidelined with a forearm injury. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 178 yards and led the team with 57 rushing yards, including an 8-yard touchdown. But Lock also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown and lost a fumble that set up a Cowboys touchdown.
"We just got done watching this tape," Daboll said. "We'll see where we're at. We'll see where Tommy's at. We'll see where Drew's at. We'll make that decision today.
"We'll evaluate the two games that both of those guys played. I thought Drew did some good things yesterday. We got to, obviously, clean up the turnovers. Turnovers, the ones that were seven points to the defense, and then back up when we get some points. We got to make sure we're taking care of the ball. Give our guys a chance down the field to make some plays."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2024 cycle.
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 27)
DL Armon Watts - Reserve/Injured (November 27)
T Joshua Miles - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
CB Greg Stroman Jr. - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 27)
TE Greg Dulcich - Claimed off Waivers from DEN (November 26)
OLB Azeez Ojulari - Reserve/Injured (November 26)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exemption (November 26)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Activated, from Reserve (November 23)
QB Tim Boyle - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 23)
OLB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
QB Daniel Jones - Waived, No Recall (November 23)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Designated for Return / Returned to Practice (November 20)
TE Jordan Murray - Practice Squad (November 20)
T Tyre Phillips - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
QB Tim Boyle - Practice Squad Veteran (November 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Garret Greenfield - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 19)
T Joshua Miles - Practice Squad Veteran (November 12)
P Matt Haack - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 12)
K Graham Gano - Activated from Injured Reserve (November 9)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 9)
CB Art Green - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (November 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Practice Squad (November 6)
T Joshua Miles - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (November 6)
P Matt Haack - Practice Squad Veteran (November 6)
K Graham Gano - Designated for Return/Returned to Practice (November 6)
CB Nick McCloud - Waived, No Recall (November 5)
P Matt Haack - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (November 5)
OLB Tomon Fox - Free Agent Signing from NYG PS (November 2)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (November 2)
K Greg Joseph - Reserve/Injured (November 2)
K Jude McAtamney - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (November 2)
T Marcellus Johnson - Practice Squad (October 30)
T Garret Greenfield - Practice Squad (October 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 30)
S Gervarrius Owens - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 29)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
CB Greg Stroman - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 28)
OLB Boogie Basham - Practice Squad Veteran (October 24)
DL Armon Watts - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (October 22)
OLB Boogie Basham - Waived, No Recall (October 22)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 19)
OT Chris Hubbard - Free Agent Signing (from SF Practice Squad) (October 18)
OT Andrew Thomas - Reserve/Injured (October 16)
DT Armon Watts - Practice Squad Veteran (October 15)
CB Duke Shelley - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 15)
P Matt Haack - Free Agent Signing (October 12)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Reserve/Injured (October 12)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 12)
OLB Benton Whitley - Practice Squad (October 8)
G Cade Mays - Signed to CAR Active Roster from NYG Practice Squad (October 8)
ILB Matthew Adams - Activated from Injured Reserve (October 5)
OLB Benton Whitley - Waived, No Recall (October 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
RB Dante Miller - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (October 5)
LB Matthew Adams - Returned to Practice (October 2)
WR Kearis Jackson - Practice Squad (October 1)
CB Greg Stroman - Practice Squad Veteran (October 1)
TE Joel Wilson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
DB Alex Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE Lawrence Cager - Terminated (Injury Settlement) from Practice Squad (October 1)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
CB Duke Shelley - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 26)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 25)
LB Ty Summers - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (September 25)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 24)
TE Joel Wilson - Practice Squad (September 24)
TE Lawrence Cager - Practice Squad; Injured (September 24)
CB Art Green - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
LB Patrick Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (September 17)
K Greg Joseph - Free Agent Signing from DET Practice Squad (September 17)
K Graham Gano - Reserve/Injured (September 17)
WR Gunner Olszewski - Reserve/Injured (September 14)
OLB Tomon Fox - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 14)
WR Chase Cota - Waived, Injury Settlement (September 13)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (September 10)
G Cade Mays - Practice Squad Exception (September 10)
OT Marcellus Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 10)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Free Agent Signing (September 9)
LB Curtis Bolton - Practice Squad Veteran (September 9)
LB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad; Injured (September 9)
LB Ty Summers - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Carter Coughlin - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 7)
LB Curtis Bolton - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 7)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Practice Squad Veteran (September 6)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 6)
ILB Carter Coughlin - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (September 5)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 4)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (September 3)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Practice Squad Veteran (September 2)
WR Miles Boykin - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (September 2)
CB Adoree' Jackson - Free Agent Signing (August 31)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 31)
S Gervarrius Owens - Practice Squad (August 30)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 30)
FB/TE Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing from NYG Practice Squad (August 29)
C Austin Schlottmann - Reserve/Injured (August 29)
DB Duke Shelley - Practice Squad Veteran (August 29)
DE Elijah Garcia - Practice Squad (August 29)
DB Art Green - Practice Squad (August 29)
LB Curtis Bolton - Free Agent Signing (August 28)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Practice Squad Exception (August 28)
K Jude McAtamney - International Practice Player Signing (August 28)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, WR Isaiah Hodgins, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, OT Joshua Miles, LB Ty Summers - Practice Squad Veteran (August 28)
LB K.J. Cloyd, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, RB Dante Miller, DL Casey Rogers - Practice Squad (August 28)
S Anthony Johnson - Claimed off Waivers from GB (August 28)
S Gervarrius Owens - Waived, No Recall (August 28)
LB Matthew Adams - Reserve/Injured - Designated for Return (August 27)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Reserve/Injured; Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
LB Darrian Beavers, LB K.J. Cloyd, LB Tomon Fox, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, DB Raheem Layne, K Jude McAtamney, RB Dante Miller, C Jimmy Morrissey, DT Casey Rogers, TE Jack Stoll - Waived (August 27)
WR Miles Boykin, TE Lawrence Cager, DB Tre Herndon, WR Isaiah Hodgins, DB Darnay Holmes, FB/TE Jakob Johnson, DB David Long, OT Joshua Miles, OT Matt Nelson, WR Allen Robinson - Terminated, Vested Veteran (August 27)
DB Mario Goodrich, G Jalen Mayfield, DE Ovie Oghoufo - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 27)
RB Joshua Kelley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Breon Borders - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 25)
DB Jonathan Sutherland - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
DT Timmy Horne - Waived, Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 25)
WR Ayir Asante, DT Kyler Baugh, DB Christian Holmes, DB Clayton Isbell, WR John Jiles, LB Trey Kiser, RB Lorenzo Lingard, T Marcus McKethan - Waived, No Recall (August 25)
DB Clayton Isbell - Free Agent Signing (August 20)
WR Dennis Houston - Waived/Injured (August 20)
DT Kyler Baugh - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
LB Trey Kiser - Free Agent Signing (August 19)
DL Ryder Anderson - Waived/Injured (August 19)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Injured (August 19)
TE/FB Jakob Johnson - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
TE Tyree Jackson - Waived/Injured, Prior to Cut to 53 (August 16)
RB Joshua Kelley - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Raheem Layne - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
S Jonathan Sutherland - Free Agent Signing (August 15)
DL Jordan Phillips - Traded to Dallas Cowboys (August 15)
S Jalen Mills - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Failed Physical (August 15)
DB Elijah Riley - Reserve/Injured (August 15)
RB Lorenzo Lingard - Free Agent Signing (August 12)
RB Jacob Saylors - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
OT Evan Neal - Passed Physical (August 11)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Waived, No Recall (August 11)
LB K.J. Cloyd - Free Agent Signing (August 11)
CB Christian Holmes - Claimed off Waivers from WAS (August 5)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived/Injured (August 5)
CB Mario Goodrich - Claimed off Waivers from PHI (July 31)
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury (July 31)
OL Greg Van Roten - Free Agent Signing (July 30)
CB Aaron Robinson - Waived, Failed Physical (July 30)
DB Breon Borders - Free Agent Signing (July 28)
QB Nathan Rourke - Waived, No Recall (July 28)
TE Theo Johnson - Passed Physical (July 28)
OT Evan Neal - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 23)
DB Jalen Mills - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 23)
TE Theo Johnson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 16)
RB Jacob Saylors - Free Agent Signing (June 18)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Injured (June 18)
CB Tre Herndon - Free Agent Signing (June 12)
TE Darren Waller - Reserve/Retired (June 10)
S Tyler Nubin - Selection List Signing (May 31)
DB Elijah Riley - Free Agent Signing (May 30)
RB Gary Brightwell - Waived, Injured (May 30)
TE Theo Johnson - Selection List Signing (May 22)
LB Darius Muasau - Selection List Signing (May 15)
CB Dru Phillips - Selection List Signing (May 14)
DL Elijah Chatman - Free Agent Signing (May 13)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Waived (May 13)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. - Selection List Signing (May 10)
WR Malik Nabers - Selection List Signing (May 10)
K Jude McAtamney - Free Agent Signing: Exempt/International Player (May 10)
WR Ayir Asante, WR John Jiles, DB Alex Johnson, OT Marcellus Johnson, G Jake Kubas, DE Ovie Oghoufo, DL Casey Rogers - Free Agent Signing (May 10)
RB Deon Jackson - Waived, Injured (May 10)
WR Allen Robinson - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
QB Nathan Rourke - Claimed off waivers from New England (May 7)
DB David Long - Free Agent Signing (May 1)
Giants select LB Darius Muasau with No. 183 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. with No. 166 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select TE Theo Johnson with No. 107 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select CB Dru Phillips with No. 70 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select S Tyler Nubin with No. 47 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
Giants select WR Malik Nabers with No. 6 pick in 2024 NFL Draft
DB Nick McCloud - Restricted Free Agent Signing (April 15)
LB Matthew Adams - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 12)
DL Jordan Phillips - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 11)
WR Miles Boykin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 9)
S/LB Isaiah Simmons - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 5)
RB Dante Miller - Free Agent Signing (April 5)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Free Agent Signing (March 24)
CB Darnay Holmes - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OT Matt Nelson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 22)
OL Austin Schlottmann - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
TE Chris Manhertz - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
TE Jack Stoll - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 15)
OL Jon Runyan - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OL Jermaine Eluemunor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
RB Devin Singletary - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
QB Drew Lock - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
DB Jalen Mills - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR Isaiah McKenzie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
WR/PR Gunner Olszewski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
LB Carter Coughlin - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 14)
OLB Brian Burns - Acquired via trade with Carolina Panthers (March 13)
LB Benton Whitley - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 12)
G Mark Glowinski - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 4)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
WR Chase Cota - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
LB Tomon Fox - Reserve/Future Signing (January 10)
DL Ryder Anderson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Yodny Cajuste - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Kaleb Hayes - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
WR Dennis Houston - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
RB Deon Jackson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OLB Jeremiah Martin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
G Jalen Mayfield - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
OT Joshua Miles - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
DB Stantley Thomas-Oliver - Reserve/Future Signing (January 8)
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