EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have a new playcaller, but much like the recently fired Jason Garrett, he will be working shorthanded.
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard was ruled out, wide receiver Kadarius Toney is doubtful and running back Saquon Barkley is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Giants fired Garrett on Tuesday because the injury-riddled offense hasn’t been able to score enough points. Coach Joe Judge has said the role will be filled collaboratively, but senior offensive assistant Freddie Kitchens is expected to call plays now, without some of the team’s most potent weapons.
Toney and Shepard are nursing quad injuries. They did not practice this week. Barkley is dealing with an ankle injury that he acknowledges could “nag” him throughout the remainder of the season.
Barkley returned on Monday night to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after missing four straight games. He was a limited participant at practice this week.
“The ankle is something that anytime you hurt that ankle is going to nag throughout the season,” Barkley said. “But that is just something you have to stay on. You have to keep up and it gets better week by week.”
Barkley said he expects to play on Sunday; that is his mindset. He played last week and insists the ankle is improving.
While the Giants (3-7) are expecting Barkley on the field, they will be without tight end Kaden Smith (knee) and fullback Cullen Gillaspia (calf) in addition to Shepard.
Like Toney, tight end Kyle Rudolph (ankle) is doubtful. It would also be a surprise if safety Logan Ryan (reserve/COVID-19) were cleared to return this week.
Toney is the Giants’ leading receiver with 35 catches for 392 yards. Shepard is second with 32 receptions for 324 yards, despite being sidelined three times by injuries.
Shepard has dealt with injuries to both hamstrings and now a quad. This will be his third straight game missed, and the sixth this season.
Toney, the Giants’ first-round pick earlier this year out of Florida, suffered the quad injury in the second half of Monday night’s loss to the Buccaneers. He also missed time earlier this season with an ankle problem that sidelined him for two games.
The Giants may be holding out hope that Toney can play.
“He’s in key with the game plan. KT’s a real smart guy in terms of being in the meetings, going through some of the stuff internally in the bubble with some walk-through stuff and all,” Judge said. “He understands the concepts of what he has to do. It’s been a couple of weeks as a young player that he’s been able to get out there on a Friday and practice for us at a good level and get him into the game and make plays for us.”
The problem, this time, is that Toney did not get to practice on Friday. That makes it unlikely he plays Sunday.