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Giants Hopeful of Kadarius Toney’s Return from Injury/COVID-19 List

The Giants are keeping their collective fingers cross that rookie first round pick Kadarius Toney will be able to play this weekend against Philadelphia.

Patricia Traina

Giants Hopeful of Kadarius Toney’s Return from Injury/COVID-19 List
Giants Hopeful of Kadarius Toney’s Return from Injury/COVID-19 List /
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After repeatedly taking blow after blow on the chin with these injuries and COVID-19 cases, the New York Giants are due for a little good news.

According to head coach Joe Judge, that might happen this week as rookie first-round receiver Kadarius Toney is trending toward a return to practice.

Toney has been sidelined the last four games with an oblique injury, and last week, he was sent out of the building after testing positive for COVID-19 for the second tie this year. 

But the expectation is that Toney will be able to produce the negative tests necessary to rejoin his teammates for practices and for the trainers to get their eyes on him to see how much further progress he’s made with healing from his injury.

“Get him moving out there and we’ll see how he looks,” Judge said Monday. “Obviously, he missed some time from injury and now with COVID. We’ll see how that set him back and give him the opportunity to go out there, move around and see if he can help us this week or not.”

The last time Toney dealt with COVID, the Giants brought him back slowly as he tweaked a hamstring. They will exercise similar caution this time around rather than rush Toney on the field before he's ready, even after losing slot receiver Sterling Shepard for the year with a torn Achilles tendon.

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That said, Judge and the Giants have never been about putting an injured player on the field before he’s physically ready to return, and they’re not about to start now.

But if Toney shows that he has his wind, and he can move around like with that burst and quick-twitch the Giants love so much about him, Toney’s return to the offense could give the unit a much-needed boost starting with this weekend’s game against the Eagles.

Speaking of COVID, the Giants will likely be without reserve cornerback Keion Crossen this weekend after he tested positive for the virus.

Crossen, who leads the Giants special teams with eight tackles (six solos) and has chipped in on the defensive secondary, a unit that has been hit hard by COVID-19 cases the last week, would be a significant loss for the Giants.

“That’s a player we want to have for his roles in the kicking game and also on defense for depth,” Judge said.

The Giants signed cornerback Jarren Williams from the practice squad to fill Crossen's spot. Last weekend, Williams, a COVID-19 replacement, started at right cornerback opposite James Bradberry, with Adoree’ Jackson and Aaron Robinson missing due to positive COVID-19 cases. 

Williams, formerly of the University of Albany, played in 70 of the Giants defense's 71 snaps. He finished with five tackles (fourth on the team) and one pass breakup.

“I think he’s a guy that’s got a future that we can go ahead and keep on developing with, but I like the way Jarren works and I think there’s some upside with him as a player,” Judge said. “He definitely has the right attitude as a person.”

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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