Getty New York Giants defensive back Darnay Holmes is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a rib injury that required hospitalization.
Just when things were beginning to look up for the Giants‘ secondary, the injury bug reared its ugly head in Sunday’s victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 28.
After recording an interception in the red zone off Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, cornerback Darnay Holmes got blasted by offensive tackle Jordan Mailata on the run back.
Although Holmes’ pick saved the Giants’ defense from surrendering points, it may have been more costly in the long run.
Holmes exited the game with what was initially being called a chest injury and did not return for the remainder of the afternoon.
But as Zack Rosenblatt of NJ Advance Media later reported, Holmes actually injured his ribs and was hospitalized overnight. Rosenblatt went onto report that more test results are forthcoming and that Holmes could be out for at least a few weeks.
As a result, the Giants placed Holmes on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, Nov. 30, which means he will be forced to miss a minimum of three games.
After seeing his defensive snaps become diminished between Weeks’ 3-6, Holmes has reemerged to play a significant role in the Giants’ secondary as of late.
In 11 games (four starts), Holmes has 29 total tackles, one interception and two passes defensed in his second season out of UCLA.
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Jackson Banged Up
Unfortunately for the Giants, Holmes wasn’t the only hit that their secondary suffered.
Perimeter cornerback No. 2, Adoree’ Jackson, injured his quad against the Eagles last week as well. And although the 26-year-old attempted to re-enter the contest to test it out, he was forced to exit the game again, which ultimately ended his day.
Luckily, Jackson still has a chance to play down in Miami on Sunday, Dec. 5.
According to ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, the Giants are optimistic that Jackson will be able to play against the Dolphins. However, this will mainly depend on his ability to move around at practice during the week.
Giants optimistic that CB Adoree Jackson, who left Sunday’s game with a quad injury, can play this week, per source, but much will depend on his ability to move around midweek. NYG will see how much he can handle.
After Jackson left the game, rookie third-round draft pick Aaron Robinson took over and held his own against the Eagles’ passing attack.
If Jackson can’t go this week, expect Robinson to receive the bulk of the snaps in his absence.
Major Reinforcement
With all of the injuries in the Giants’ defensive backfield, they are luckily on the verge of getting captain and safety Logan Ryan back on the field.
Ryan has missed the last two games after testing positive for Covid-19. But on Monday, the Giants took him off the reserve/COVID-19 list, per the NFL’s transaction wire.
This puts him on track to start against the Dolphins in Miami this Sunday, which is good news for a banged up Giants’ secondary.
In Ryan’s absence, Julian Love took over at strong safety and produced an impressive showing versus the Eagles last week. Love had four tackles, a half-sack, a quarterback hit, a pass defended and a fumble recovery in the Giants’ 13-7 win over Philadelphia.
The return of Ryan, plus solid play from J.R. Reed and Steven Parker against the Eagles, means Love could see some time at corner if Jackson is out.