Giants begin process to activate LB David Mayo from IR

The New York Giants announced Thursday morning that they have begun the process of activating LB David Mayo from the injured reserve.

Mayo missed the season’s first four games after undergoing surgery on Aug. 27 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, an injury that he suffered in training camp.

The Giants have 21 days to add Mayo to their active roster. He is eligible to be activated this week and play on Sunday when the Giants face NFC East rival Dallas in AT&T Stadium.

If Mayo is not added to the roster during the 21-day period, he must remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.”

The Giants are taking advantage of the new rules regarding the injured reserve, which allow them to reactivate an unlimited number of players, and to do so much more quickly and easily than in years’ past.

The injury required that the meniscus — a cartilage pad in the knee which serves to reduce friction and distribute force in the joint — be surgically trimmed. Meniscus injuries that require surgery to trim the meniscus are generally considered short-term injuries and players can recover relatively quickly. In previous season, the Giants would have had to wait much longer to reactivate Mayo, leave him on the injured reserve for the entirety of the season, or carry him on the active roster despite him being unavailable.

Mayo saw his most significant role as a defender last year when he stepped into a full time role after Ryan Connelly was injured. Prior to that, Mayo was primarily a special teams player. Mayo’s return to the field will likely come at the expense of Devante Downs, who has received snaps as an inside linebacker next to Blake Martinez. Mayo’s return will also help fortify the Giants’ special teams units as well as provide reinforcement to the defense.