Giants Country

Sterling Shepard Eyes Return from Injury for Season's Start

The longest tenured Giant provided an update on his rehab status.

Patricia Traina

Sterling Shepard Eyes Return from Injury for Season's Start
Sterling Shepard Eyes Return from Injury for Season's Start /
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New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard remains optimistic about overcoming his latest injury setback, a torn ACL, so he can return to the field.

Shepard, who last year was finding his groove following a late-season Achilles injury suffered in 2021, tore his left ACL in late September.

Rather than call it a career, he signed a new one-year deal with the Giants, who are giving him a chance to be a part of what they are building under head coach Brian Daboll and his staff.

For that, Shepard is grateful.

"This organization has been really good to me throughout my playing career and some of the stuff that's happened over the years," he said. "I'm grateful and thankful, and I try to give this organization everything I've got just for those reasons."

That's a big reason why Shepard has been so diligent in his rehab. He hasn't yet been cleared to partake in full activities, his on-field work being limited to going through the helmet-less, walkthrough phase of the team drills. 

And it's a long shot at this point that he'll be able to pass the training camp physical, which means he'd have to start next month's camp on the PUP list.

But the 30-year-old Shepard, the team's second-round pick in 2016, is optimistic that he'll be ready for the season. 

"I'm right on schedule where I wanted to be, a little bit ahead. So that's always good," Shepard said. "I'm just trying to take it day by day and just focus on getting back to 100 percent."

Shepard, who posted 13 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown last season before his injury, s determined not to let his career end on a sour note.

"My goal is to be ready for the season, so whatever that takes is what I'm going to try to do, but I'm also not going to rush it," Shepard said. "You get to that time, and I'm not feeling right, then that's just what it will be. But that is my goal, and just take it day by day like I said and try to be the best I can be that day."

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The Giants added to their receiver room this off-season, bringing in veterans Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, and Jeff Smith and drafting Jalin Hyatt in the third round. At last check, they had over a dozen receivers on the roster, representing all shapes, sizes, and skill sets.

"Yeah, it's probably the biggest receiver group I've been a part of since I've been here, but that's what we wanted to bring in," Shepard said. "We wanted to bring in competition. Some guys run from competition, and some people don't. We're definitely going to see what we have because we have a lot of guys that can play some good ball.

"I love the fact that we added more playmakers. It's not just on one person to make all the plays. We've got a lot of guys that can do it."

 

 

 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for over three decades for various media outlets. She is the host of the Locked On Giants podcast and the author of "The Big 50: New York Giants: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants" (Triumph Books, September 2020). View Patricia's full bio.

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