Getty Tight end Rysen John #44 of the New York Giants celebrates after a catch during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns.
Safety Quincy Wilson and tight end/h-back Rysen John both performed admirably this past Sunday. So much so, that even with the abundance of depth at each player’s respective position, both Wilson and John had put themselves squarely “in the mix” for a spot on Big Blue’s 53-man roster, per NJ Media Group’s Art Stapleton.
However, any hope of cracking the opening day roster is now all but gone as The Athletic’s Dan Duggan has reported that Wilson (ankle) and John (ankle) will each be placed on injured reserve (IR).
Both injuries occurred during New York’s 17-13 preseason loss to the Cleveland Browns. Wilson graded out as the Giants’ top defender for the game, notching an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 81.7 and collecting one tackle and one pass defended. As for John, the Canadian wide receiver-turned-tight end led the way in every major statistical receiving category against Cleveland, sans touchdowns. He finished the contest with 58 receiving yards on three receptions — an average of 19.3 yards per reception.
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Injury Settlements Incoming?
As highlighted by Duggan, since each player was placed on IR prior to the team’s finalized 53-man roster, they will miss the entirety of the 2021 NFL season unless they are waived with an injury settlement. The Giants are no strangers to injury settlements, as they’ve reached such agreements with four different players just this month (Jarren Williams, Clayton Thorson, Mike Weber and Derrick Dillon). By the sound of it, John could soon be joining this group.
“Told that John’s injury isn’t season-ending (his ankle got rolled up on his last catch, wasn’t non-contact like it looked). So he could eventually re-sign and continue to develop on the practice squad (as long as no other team signs him),” Duggan tweeted.
Should the Giants reach a settlement with the 23-year-old pass-catcher, he’d be eligible to sign elsewhere. He’d also be allowed to return to East Rutherford after the period of time covered by the settlement plus an additional six weeks.
Kyle Rudolph Trending Up
With John injured and Levine Toilolo already done for the season, the Giants could certainly use some good news at the tight end position — and it looks as if they’re close to getting some. Free-agent signee Kyle Rudolph, who has been on the PUP list for the entirety of training camp, was spotted running routes during pregame ahead of Sunday’s tilt vs. the Browns.
“He [Rudolph] had a good week this week at rehab. When I talked to him with the medical team, it’s optimistic that there may be a chance coming up to get off [the PUP list],” Judge told reporters following the game, via USA Today. “Again, that is an individual basis so we will see what the medical team says on that and see if we can get him out there with the team working.”
On the heels of offseason foot surgery, the 11-year-pro is expected to play a pivotal role alongside starter Evan Engram in Big Blue’s offense this season.
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Giants Lose Tight End & Defensive Back for Season: Report