New York Giants kicker Graham Gano, who’s been on injured reserve for four weeks after straining his hamstring in a Week 2 loss at Washington, is eligible to have his 21-day window opened this week assuming he’s made enough progress to inch toward a return.
However, head coach Brian Daboll didn’t have an update on Gano or any of the injured players for that matter, telling reporters during his Monday call that he would have updates on WEdnesday once the team returns for practice.
Gano has been spotted outside at the start of the Giants practices, the period open to the media, and has not appeared to do much in the way of any activity, though whether he’s done stuff inside the field house or after practices close to the media is a possibility.
Still, given the nature of his injury, the Giants aren’t expected to rush him back, meaning he likely won’t be ready for this coming weekend’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. And if he’s not ready, Daboll told reporters that the plan is to stick with Greg Joseph, who missed two field goals in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.
Daboll’s revelation could mean that Gano isn’t that far off from returning to the point where it doesn’t make sense to cut Joseph and bring in another kicker.
But again, hamstrings can be tricky and the Giants will no doubt want to make sure that both the hamstring and the groin injury that initially landed Gano on the injury report, are fully healed before upping his activity levels.