The Giants avoided a much more serious issue with Kayvon Thibodeaux, but rookie linebacker Darrian Beavers wasn’t as lucky.
Thibodeaux did suffer a sprained MCL in the Giants’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and avoided a bigger issue of it being a possible ACL injury. However, Beaver didn’t fair the same way with the rookie now sidelined for the entire season with a torn ACL.
During a zoom press conference with the media on Monday afternoon, head coach Brian Daboll wouldn’t comment on the timeline for Thibodeaux but labeled the situation day-to-day. NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport reported earlier in the day that New York was looking at around three weeks for him to return and that his ACL appeared to be intact.
“Really I’m not forecasting when a player can come back or not come back,” Daboll said. “I know he’ll come in and get treatment. We’ll take it day by day and when he’s ready to go out there that’s when we’ll put him out there.”
He added later: “Fingers crossed his rehab goes well and he can get out there as soon as he can.”
With Daboll not commenting on the timeline, the prospect of Thibodeaux not being available for the season opener in Tennessee remains a possibility. It also ends his training camp a few weeks shy of the opener.
New York has already been hit with a number of injuries and now that puts even more pressure on the guys behind Thibodeaux in the depth chart to step up while he is out.
“I think Drew (Wilkins) has done a good job with all those guys, those edge guys,” Daboll said. “From top to bottom. … All those guys have really done a good job of understanding our system and making the most of their opportunities when they get in there.”
Thibodeaux was injured during Sunday night’s preseason game against the Bengals during the second quarter. The rookie was hit by a cut block from Bengals’ tight end Thaddeus Moss and it caught him in his right knee.
Thibodeaux crumpled to the ground in pain and was looked at by team medical personnel. He did walk off the field under his own power and as he exited the stadium after the game he told reporters that “I’ll be back… We good.”
Beavers wasn’t nearly as lucky when he went down in the third quarter during a Bengals run play. He held his left knee and eventually limped off the field.
The sixth-round draft pick was slated to compete for a starting job. Beavers is now stuck watching his rookie season from the sidelines.
“Whenever something like that happens there’s a wide range of emotions for every player and each player is different,” Daboll said about the conversation he had with Beavers. “You try to be there to be supportive and do the best job you can in that regard. Have your mind on what’s next and help the players in any way you can. For young players that’s tough, particularly guys that were developing and doing a good job in camp with a bright future.”
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Kicker Graham Gano was also injured during the game on Sunday and is in concussion protocol. The Giants may look to add a kicker before next weekend’s game with the Jets.
C.J. Board additionally left with a rib injury.
