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Giants training camp 2015: What options are left in secondary?

How will the Giants deal with rash of injuries?

Who is left to join Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Giants' secondary?
Who is left to join Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the Giants' secondary?
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

What now for the depleted New York Giants secondary? The Giants lost four players, including Mykkele Thompson for the season, from an already thin secondary during Friday's preseason-opening 23-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Let's assess the situation and look at the Giants options, both off the waiver wire and internal, moving forward.

The Injuries

We have to start by taking stock of the wounded.

Safety

Thompson (Achilles) is done for the year.

Rookie Landon Collins, expected to be one of the two starters, has an MCL sprain. Head coach Tom Coughlin expects him to be out "longer than a week."

Second-year man Nat Berhe (calf) remains out. Coughlin remains hopeful that Berhe will soon get the green light from the medical staff to resume practicing.

Cornerback

The injured: Trumaine McBride (hamstring), Jayron Hosley (neck, possible concussion), Prince Amukamra (groin), Chykie Brown (unknown).

Coughlin said he did not expect Brown to practice this week, and was uncertain as to the availability of Amukamara, McBride and Hosley.

External Options

It is obvious that the Giants are going to have to add at least one player, maybe more, to get through practices and the Week 2 preseason game this Saturday vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"You can certainly count as well as I can," Coughlin said.

But who? If you are looking for real, quality help from the free-agent market, the pickings are slim. Here, via Spotrac, are some of the players available:

Cornerback -- Chris CookAaron Ross, Jarrett BushAntoine Cason, Chase Minnifield, Derek Cox

Safety -- Dawan Landry, Thomas DeCoud, Brandon Meriweather, Jim Leonhard (would the ex-Raven un-retire to play for Steve Spagnuolo again?), Quintin Demps

If the Giants want veteran help, perhaps the best course of action would be to wait until roster cuts are made (the first round of cuts is Sept. 1) to see who becomes available. In the interim, perhaps they bring in a young player to help them get through the preseason.

Internal Options

Safety -- Bennett Jackson and Jeromy Miles appear to be your current starters. Cooper Taylor and undrafted free agent Justin Currie would be the second duo. Rookie Justin Halley, just signed last week, is the only other healthy safety on the roster. Perhaps we will see Josh Gordy get some reps at safety this week. Gordy, in his sixth season, has a bit of experience at safety but has played almost exclusively at corner in his career. He has been working mostly as a slot corner with the Giants. When the Giants signed him as a free agent, though, GM Jerry Reese said he expected Gordy to be in the mix at safety. He is, in fact, listed as a safety on the Giants' roster. Perhaps it's time for him to see some time at that spot.

Cornerback -- By default, Trevin Wade has gone from a guy who was (and still is) on the roster bubble to a guy who is likely to line up with the first team when the Giants return to practice on Sunday. Mike Harris and Gordy are the only healthy slot cornerbacks right now, and Chandler Fenner is the only healthy backup on the outside. The Giants can't push Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie too hard at this point as he has been dealing with his own groin issue. Another problem is that with all of the injuries at safety will likely have less flexibility to drop Jackson into the slot, something they have been doing for the past week or so.