Four players. That's the extent of the injury list for the New York Giants this week as they begin preparations for their Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins. Of course, with so many players already on season-ending IR how long could the injury list possibly be?
Of course, the four players on the list are all starters -- left tackle Ereck Flowers (ankle), right tackle Marshall Newhouse (back), safety Brandon Meriweather (knee) and linebacker Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot). Flowers and Kennard won't practice Wednesday. Meriweather and Newhouse will. Let's look at each injury.
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Flowers -- The rookie left tackle was still on crutches and in a walking boot on Monday. Head coach Tom Coughlin wouldn't commit, but said Justin Pugh would be a "good option" to go to left tackle.
Newhouse -- The right tackle missed last weeks' game with a back injury and is still on the list this week. Bobby Hart did a nice job in Newhouse's absence. It would, however, help the Giants if Newhouse was available Monday. That would allow them to put Hart at guard and keep Dallas Reynolds in reserve.
Meriweather -- Missed last week's game with a knee issue. He and Craig Dahl are somewhat interchangeable, the problem is that Meriweather's absence leaves the Giants with only Cooper Taylor in reserve at safety.
Devon Kennard was wearing a boot on his right foot today. Would not give a diagnosis or prognosis. Obviously it's not good.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) December 10, 2015
Kennard -- This injury is quite troubling. Coughlin indicated Wednesday that the foot issue is now the serious one for Kennard. The second-year player is the most exciting linebacker prospect the Giants have drafted in a long time, but the mounting list of injuries in his first two seasons is problematic. Kennard missed four games as a rookie with hamstring and toe injuries. If he misses Monday's game that will be the fourth time this season he has been sidelined. Kennard slipped to the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft partially becaause of a lengthy collegiate injury history. It is difficult, as the Giants have found out, to make a player a leader on defense if he can't consistently get on the field.