The New York Giants’ injuries continue to mount. They already didn’t have Malik Nabers (concussion), Devin Singletary (groin), and Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist surgery) in Week 6, and star left tackle Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc surgery) is done for the season.
Giants’ Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns will not practice Wednesday
Now, they could be without more key pieces in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles as star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence (hip) and pass-rusher Brian Burns (groin) both did not practice on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Burns not practicing doesn’t come as a surprise. He has been playing through a groin injury for the past several weeks and was seen hobbling towards the end of Week 6 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Burns recorded six tackles, three hurries, and a sack in the team’s 17-7 loss to the Bengals.
With Thibodeaux out until at least the bye week after being placed on injured reserve, the Giants will depend more on Burns to help fill in the void that Thibodeaux’s absence will leave. Azeez Ojulari filled in for Thibodeaux in Week 6 and delivered a strong performance, but they still cannot afford to lose Burns for a significant amount of time.
The Giants need Lawrence healthy for Week 7
As for Lawrence, this hip injury is new, as there were no noticeable signs of discomfort in Week 6 for him. The star nose tackle has been one of the best defensive players this season with eight sacks (most in the NFL), 24 total pressures, and 13 hurries.
Undoubtedly, missing him for Week 6 would be a massive loss for the Giants going up against a strong Eagles pass protection. Philadelphia has the 11th-highest graded pass-blocking group in the league by PFF at 71.3 and they have the ninth-best run-blocking grade at 69.7.
Malik Nabers is making progress as he goes through concussion protocol
The Giants did get some good injury news this week, as Nabers is expected to take a step forward in the concussion protocol and be a non-contact participant in practice, per NorthJersey’s Art Stapleton. It is unknown if he will clear the protocol in time to play in Week 7, but the update is nonetheless encouraging for the Giants’ top receiver.
The rise in injuries comes at a bad time for the G-men, as their season is currently on the ropes with a 2-4 record and in last place in the NFC East division. The hope is that the players who did not practice Wednesday (except Thibodeaux and Thomas) can overcome their ailments quickly in time to play what will be a very important game for them this upcoming Sunday.