NJ – EAST RUTHERFORD Two key players, one on defense and one on offense, were listed by the Giants today as doubtful for their Sunday home game against the New England Patriots.
Both defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and wide receiver Darius Slayton will miss their first game of the season if they are unable to play.
“I’d say we’re going to take both those guys right up to game time and see where we’re at with them,” Brian Daboll, the team’s coach, said. When asked whether this meant that choices would be made after the players completed a pre-game workout, Daboll responded, “We’ll let them go through today, get treatment, tomorrow, get treatment, and then we’ll talk about it Sunday morning.”
The clearance of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson from the NFL concussion protocol was good news for the Giants. After getting hurt in Las Vegas on November 5, he was sidelined for the previous two games.
The Giants’ victory in Washington last week resulted in injuries to Slayton (neck) and Lawrence (hamstring). Not a single player worked out today. Slayton has only worked in limited capacity for the past two days, and Lawrence has not been on the field at all this week.
Lawrence stated today, “I want to be available all the time.” “I always want to be the one giving my team the best opportunity to succeed. That’s what I’m battling for. Just wait and see how I feel before the game.
To be honest, I’ve been improving. It was really tight at first, even the day after it happened, but I’ve been rehabbing, healing, and loosing up this week, so I feel good.”
Does that imply that he’s allowing himself to participate?
Naturally, Lawrence replied. “Always.”
Slayton is third with 30 receptions and leads the Giants with 419 receiving yards. Against the Commanders, he caught and ran 40 yards for his first touchdown of the season after Tommy DeVito’s pass. Shortly after, Slayton left the game and did not return for the second half.
Lawrence, a 2022 Pro Bowler, leads the team in quarterback hits with 17, is second with 4.0 sacks, and ranks fifth with 41 tackles (25 solo).
Rakeem Nunez-Roches, A’Shawn Robinson, D.J. Davidson, and rookie Jordon Riley, who has only appeared in two games this season, are the other linemen on the roster. Ryder Anderson is another member of the Giants practice squad.
“That’s why we have the guys we have here that we signed, whether it’s A’Shawn, Nacho (Nunes-Rochez), but give it a few more days here,” Daboll stated. “Just the National Football League does that. We need to have a backup quarterback, running back Saquon Barkley, tackle Andrew Thomas, and other players ready to go when these players are sidelined. That’s why you have guys supporting Andrew Thomas. They are excellent athletes.
“Dexter is a top player in this league, which is why we have the guys supporting him back there. They are real experts. They performed admirably for us. However, we’ll assess our current situation with Dexter. He has a few days left.”
It would be Lawrence’s first-ever home game injury and only his third in his five-year career. On January 2, 2022, he was not available for play in Chicago due to his status as a Reserve/COVID-19. Lawrence had begun his career with 47 straight games played. He was among a number of starters who did not wear a uniform in Philadelphia for the 2022 season finale.
Due to his COVID-19 status, Slayton was also unable to attend the game in Chicago two years prior. Due to a hamstring injury, he also missed two of the season’s games and two of his rookie campaign in 2019. Slayton was a healthy scratch for the 2022 season’s opening game, which was the only other game he missed.
He appeared confident that he would play on Wednesday.
“There’s a nerve in your neck and, basically, I injured that nerve in my neck, and it prefers all the way down your arm, makes your arm numb,” Slayton explained. It wasn’t just floating there; I was simply holding my arm. There was a brief period when my arm went numb, but I’m fine.”
The other five wide receivers on the Giants’ roster are rookie Jalin Hyatt, Isaiah Hodgins, Parris Campbell, Sterling Shepard, and Wan’Dale Robinson. Dennis Houston is included in the reserve group.
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