The New York Giants are heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Houston Texans with J.J. McCarthy set to take over as the starter, and the timing adds another layer to a week already loaded with roster movement and injury questions.
McCarthy’s promotion is the headline, but the Giants’ offensive line situation may wind up being just as important. Their top three offensive tackles all missed practice, leaving the group in a shaky spot as the week moves along.
There was at least one encouraging development on defense: cornerback Paulson Adebo has been designated for return from injured reserve and was limited in practice Wednesday. Adebo landed on injured reserve with a knee issue on Sept. 18 after the season-opening win against the Cowboys. Once a player is designated to return, the Giants have 21 days to decide whether to activate him or shut him down for the season.
Adebo’s return comes at a useful time, especially after Greg Newsome II suffered a concussion last week against the Saints. Newsome had been the only member of the secondary other than safety Jevón Holland to start all six games.
The Giants are also trying to sort out what’s gone wrong against the run. On Tuesday, defensive linemen detailed how motion is affecting the picture before the snap and creating problems for the defense.
As Harris put it: “Pre-snap motion, really what it does, it can exchange gaps,” Harris told reporters on Tuesday. “It can make it where linebackers have to move, DBs have to have communication, and that’s really the main thing that it does, is it forces communication between defense and it kind of shifts responsibilities.”
Reader pointed to the need for cleaner execution. “I think sometimes just a little bit of the fits on just some of the stuff, cleaning up that type of thing,” Reader said.
“We’ve let some quarterback runs kind of beat us in some places. And that’s always a little bit difficult, especially last week.
In a rain game, it was a little bit hard but this week, let a couple quarterback runs beat us.”
Elsewhere around the team, trade chatter continues to hover. In a look at possible deadline moves, one proposal linked Jonathan Taylor to the Giants, while also noting the complications that come with their quarterback situation and draft capital.
The piece pointed out that the Giants only own six picks in the upcoming draft and suggested that moving premium assets for short-term help could be a tough sell. It also said the team could use help along the defensive line and at running back, especially after the release of Najee Harris, though a major move would still come as a surprise.
That same deadline discussion also cited the Giants’ current rushing issues, noting they rank 25th in rushing EPA per play and that their running backs rank 30th in PFF rushing grade. The backfield has been unstable after the release of Najee Harris and the effective benching of second-year rusher Cameron Skattebo.
There was also another league-level wrinkle involving the Giants’ ownership. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended Giants chairman John Mara Tisch’s presence at the league’s fall meeting.
Tisch remains executive vice president and chairman of the board after he and his siblings transferred their stakes to their children earlier this year. His name was mentioned more than 400 times in the Jeffrey Epstein files released in January by the U.S.
Justice Department, and Tisch has said he knew Epstein but denied going to his island.
After saying at the Super Bowl that a review of Tisch’s association with Epstein would take place, Goodell said Wednesday, “Everything we’ve looked at, we understand and I think we’re comfortable with him participating as the Giants suggest…I think always we’ll look to see if there’s any new information. We’ll look at it, and we’ll evaluate that.”
In Other News...
Giants Face A QB Decision That Could Change This Next Stretch
The quarterback discussion around the Giants has shifted from emergency replacement to something more consequential as they head into a critical stretch. Since Daniel Jones was injured, Jameis Winston has been the main starter, but J.J. McCarthy has given the staff enough to think about after showing flashes in limited action, especially with the kind of downfield passing that can change how an offense is defended.
McCarthys presence adds a different layer to a decision the Giants cant take lightly, because this next stretch carries real weight. Winston offers the familiarity of having already been in the role, while McCarthy brings the possibility of a different ceiling and a running game that could benefit from his skill set, which is why the choice is being watched so closely inside the building. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Draft Decision Is Already Raising Offensive Line Concerns
The Giants decision to move on from Dexter Lawrence for draft capital already looks like the kind of front-office bet that gets revisited quickly when the rookie learning curve turns bumpy. New York used the 10th pick on Francis Mauigoa, an offensive tackle who is being shifted inside to guard, and the early returns through six weeks have not matched the kind of instant line help the team was hoping to buy with that move.
Mauigoas adjustment has been a real challenge, especially when weighed against how another top draft lineman has settled in elsewhere. Baltimore took Vega Ioane later in the round, and he has looked far more comfortable handling guard and center duties, which only sharpens the scrutiny on the Giants choice and the risk that comes with asking a young blocker to master a new spot right away. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Be Down To One More Backfield Gamble
The Giants keep shuffling the deck at running back, and the latest move on the board is a familiar name. With the ground game sputtering and the committee approach still looking unsettled, the team has already benched Cam Skattebo and released Najee Harris, a pair of changes that underline just how much this group has struggled to find any traction.
Now the conversation has shifted toward a lower-risk option who already knows the system. The rookie would not solve every issue in a backfield that has been searched for answers all season, but his familiarity with the offense gives New York a possible shortcut at a spot where the Giants have already shown they are willing to keep looking for help. [Read more 🡒]