Giants injury report: Jawill Davis misses practice with concussion

The New York Giants have already gone through Kaelin Clay, Stacy Coley, Cody Latimer, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jawill Davis as kick returners this season.

Monday night, the Giants might have to dig even deeper as Davis popped up on the Friday injury report with a concussion that kept him out of practice.

“Jawill had a persistent headache, so the medical staff determined he should be placed in the concussion protocol,” head coach Pat Shurmur said on Friday.

Davis, a rookie undrafted free agent, has averaged 24.4 yards on seven kickoff returns. He has also caught two passes.

Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was complementary of Davis’ progress Friday — before the news of his being placed in the concussion protocol was known.

“He’s a young player. He’s getting better every week. He is definitely ascending. The arrow is up with that kid,” McGaughey said. “He averaged 29 yards a return last time he was out there. The week before, it was 21. So each week, you’re seeing some progression with him. He’s getting more confident as a gunner. The kid is talented. We’re just going to keep nurturing talent.”

With Davis likely down for Monday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Giants will be looking for another kickoff returner.

“That’s life in the big city. It’s just one of those deals, you just live it the way it is. You play cards, they deal them out, this is my hand, here we go,” McGaughey said. “That’s the reality of it. You just got to make do with what you have, and just coach the hell out of them. You get them out there, you coach them up, you get them ready to play. Hopefully you’ve done a good enough job during the week preparing for some success.

“That’s coaching, that’s what we do, especially special teams coaches. I don’t even think about it. That’s just what we do. It’s part of our coaching DNA.”

If the Giants need to make a roster move, perhaps they would promote Quadree Henderson from their practice squad. A rookie undrafted free agent from Pitt who was added to the practice squad just two weeks ago, Henderson averaged 26.6 yards with four TDs on 73 kickoff returns and 13.4 yards with three touchdowns on 37 punt returns in college.