The New York Giants start the 2021 regular season against the Denver Broncos, a competitive match-up that will feature two of the league’s best secondaries. Big Blue will then take on Washington, Atlanta, and then a big game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, but this time Drew Brees won’t be featuring at quarterback for the opposition. Brees retired this off-season, leaving Jameis Winston to be the team’s starting quarterback, but Brees may not be the only player missing from this contest.
The Giants might avoid having to face off against Michael Thomas in their Week 4 matchup against New Orleans:
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that star receiver Michael Thomas is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery to repair the ligaments in his ankle in June, per sources informed of the situation.
Thomas is expected to miss the first few weeks of the season with an ankle injury that recently commanded surgery. Thomas only played in seven games last year, starting in five. He posted 438 yards and zero touchdowns after coming off his best season to date, logging 1,725 yards and nine scores in an All-Pro caliber season.
With Thomas expected to miss the game, the Saints will have to rely heavily on Alvin Kamara to get the job done. In terms of their wide receivers, they will look to Tre’Quan Smith and a bevy of depth pieces to supplement the loss. Ultimately, their WR unit is rather thin, so without Thomas, they could struggle mightily if Kamara is locked down.
Big Blue has one of the best run-stopping games in the NFL, and after signing Adoree Jackson to a three-year, $39 million deal, the secondary also has top-5 potential. If the defense can stay healthy, they should give the offense plenty of opportunities and time of possession to work with next season.
