Just when you think the New York Giants couldn’t sink any lower, the football gods throw head coach Ben McAdoo a shovel and order him to keep digging.
Not only did the Giants throw away another close game, a 27-22 Week 5 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but they also saw 80 percent of their wide-receiving corps. go down with injuries.
Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard were forced to leave the game during the same drive in the second quarter with ankle issues while fifth receiver and special teams extraordinaire Dwayne Harris fractured his foot and is out for the season.
But the worst news came when No. 1 man Odell Beckham Jr. fractured his ankle, likely ending his season.
It looked ominous the moment it happened as Beckham laid on the field in tears. He was carted off moments later, still emotional.
The Giants are optimistic about the possibility Shepard’s return, according to Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record. The same goes for Marshall, per Dr. David Chao, who writes a medical column for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Their absences forced Manning to rely on Roger Lewis Jr. as the Impromptu No. 1 receiver and the last man standing on the depth chart. He was forced to line tight ends Rhett Ellison and Jerell Adams out wide at times, as well.
With official timetables unknown for both Shepard and Marshall, the Giants entered Monday left with just Lews at the wide receiver position. They didn’t waste much time getting bodies to fill out the roster.
The Giants promoted rookie wide receiver Travis Rudolph from the practice squad, per James Kratch of NJ.com. He was a three-year starter at Florida State, amassing 2,311 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns during that span.
Darius Powe was also brought back on but will be placed on the practice squad, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Powe spent last season on the Giants’ practice squad and was contending for a roster spot this summer before a hamstring injury led to his dismissal.
Raanan added that New York is also re-signing Tavarres King, who was with the Giants for the past three seasons but only made it onto the field in the 2016 season. He played in seven regular-season games before catching a touchdown pass in the Giants’ Wild Card Game loss to the Green Bay Packers.
