Russell Wilson is quite excited after the Giants’ 31-12 preseason win against the Jets. He shared his thoughts on how the offense has been progressing through training camp and the preseason games.
“The good part is that Malik Neighbors isn’t there yet,” Wilson noted. “He had a great camp, so when he returns, it’s going to be really exciting for us.”
So, when will Neighbors be back on the field?
Well, the Giants are really hoping he’ll be ready for the season opener against Washington on September 7.
They’re being cautious with Neighbors, understanding he’s a key player and a breakout star for the team.
Neighbors hasn’t played in the first two preseason games and isn’t expected to participate in the final one against the Patriots on Thursday night.
This isn’t alarming, though. Reports suggest he should be able to handle the usual workload in the season opener.
He did miss some time this summer due to a toe issue, had a rough fall onto his shoulder during practice, and has recently been dealing with back tension.
These physical challenges haven’t caught the Giants or Neighbors off guard.
He remarked earlier in camp, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
As for the coaching staff, they’re sticking with Brian Daboll, who emphasized the competitive nature of practice on Tuesday.
Will Andrew Thomas be ready to play?
The starting left tackle is on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing surgery for a Lisfranc fracture in his foot.
With only three weeks until the opener, it’s becoming clearer that he won’t see action in any of the preseason games.
The closer they get to kickoff, the less likely it seems that Daboll will be able to rest the main players.
If Thomas could focus solely on his rehabilitation, it’s vital for him to get back in shape quickly, and there’s simply not much time left.
Daboll stated, “It gets better every day, and we’ll see where we are,” echoing his earlier comments about Thomas.
“He’s on his rehab schedule and working hard to return as soon as possible.”
Giants GM Joe Shane expressed optimism at the beginning of camp, expecting Thomas to be ready for week one.
If he can’t play, James Hudson III would step in as the starting left tackle. Rookie Marcus Mbow, drafted fifth from Purdue, has mainly been at right tackle but has shown promise when lined up on the left.
In other news, linebacker Abdul Carter faced a tough moment in the second quarter when he was hit by Stone Smartt with a chip block. When he got back up, he was knocked down again by OT Chukwuma Okorafor.
Carter commented, “S-T happens on the field, but we won, so it’s all good,” after the game.
A clip from that play went viral on social media, but Carter wasn’t amused. He responded by calling the block a “weak A-chip” on his X account, humorously suggesting it might be the Jets’ only highlight of the season.
