The New York Giants will need every offensive weapon against the Denver Broncos in Week 1. With a strong secondary and fantastic pass rush, Denver is looking to establish themselves against an offense that ranked 31st in points per game last season. The Giants, who added Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Kyle Rudolph, and will likely have Saquon Barkley at their disposal, should provide more consistency and production in the scoring department.
However, the injury report following Wednesday’s practice was packed to the brim. The players categorized as limited were Barkley, Golladay, Toney, Adoree Jackson, Rudolph, Danny Shelton, Kaden Smith, and Andrew Thomas. To summarize, the majority of the Giants’ most important players were all limited in some fashion due to individual injuries.
Despite the designations, rookie receiver Kadarius Toney strongly indicated he would be available against Denver. It seems as if head coach Joe Judge is trying to keep things under wraps, putting as many players on the injury report as possible to create confusion for Denver’s coordinators.
Toney, though, essentially made it clear that unless somebody made up a reason for him to miss Week 1, he would be available and ready to play.
When asked if Toney if an injury or issue would keep him from playing against Denver, he said:
“Nah, I mean, unless you wanna go make one up.”
Kadarius Toney on if there's a reason he won't play in Week 1:
“Nah, I mean, unless you wanna go make one up.”
YEAH, HE'S PLAYING!
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) September 8, 2021
Toney has had a problematic off-season, missing time due to a hamstring injury, and contracted Covid. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a rookie receiver miss plenty of time, as Odell Beckham Jr. returned from a hamstring issue in Week 4 of his rookie campaign.
Kadarius, who has the capabilities to spark an offense and create electrifying plays, will finally get an opportunity to showcase his abilities. Missing all three preseason games and joint practices, there’s a little film to work off of regarding the 20th overall pick.
With the Florida product on the field, the Giants can get a bit more creative, utilizing jet sweeps, pre-snap motion, and more unique play calls to get him into space with the ball in his hands.
In addition to Toney, fellow receiver Kenny Golladay is also expected to suit up against the Broncos. Golladay, who earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, will feature as quarterback Daniel Jones’s WR1. Jones hasn’t had a receiver like Golladay since general manager Dave Gelman traded Odell Beckham Jr. just weeks before the Giants selected Jones in the first round. Golladay hauled in 65 receptions for 1,190 yards and 11 scores two years ago with Detroit but played in just five games last year with a myriad of injuries.
Golladay has been dealing with a hamstring injury this off-season but has been moving crisply and seems to be prepared to play this upcoming weekend. With the majority of the Giants’ top playmakers likely to be available, the scheme should also improve with it. One of the biggest knocks on the offense has been coordinator Jason Garrett’s playcalling, but expect more downfield targets and fewer curl routes, which was his preference in 2020.