Bennett Jackson, Justin Currie to miss season
For the second straight week, the New York Giants have suffered losses at safety.
Coach Tom Coughlin confirmed Sunday what was feared Saturday night -- that safety Bennett Jackson tore the ACL in his right knee and will miss the 2015 season. To go with that,Justin Currie fractured his ankle and fibula in the first quarter Saturday and is out for the season as well, the Giants announced.
Coughlin also said that starting middle linebacker Jon Beason has a sprained left knee and wouldn't speculate on how much time the ninth-year veteran might have to miss.
"All these things end up being week to week," Coughlin said of Beason's injury. "But sometimes in these cases, it's longer than you think."
Beason missed 12 games last year with a toe injury, and the Giants have been counting on his return to help anchor the defense. Jameel McClain slides in at middle linebacker in his place, but the Giants would prefer to have Beason as their field general.
In addition to Beason, the Giants lost linebackers Mark Herzlich (concussion) and Tony Johnson (knee) to injuries Saturday.
Beason said Sunday that he can be ready by Week 1.
"I totally believe that I can, and I have my mind made up," Beason said on a conference call. "I'll do everything I can humanly possible to make sure that that happens. And I don't want just straight on Sunday. I want to get back in time for preparation for that game."
Jackson, a converted cornerback who missed his 2014 rookie season with an injury, had been impressive in camp as a potential starting safety and nickel cornerback. Losing him and Currie costs the Giants depth at safety, especially a week after 2015 fifth-round pick Mykkele Thompson tore his Achilles tendon.
Coughlin said the team expects safeties Nat Berhe and Landon Collins to return to practice this week. Berhe has been out since the spring with a calf injury, and Collins injured his knee in the preseason opener Aug. 14 against Cincinnati and hasn't practiced since.
Go back to May, and Berhe-Collins was probably the Giants' projected starting safety tandem. The issue now is that both have missed so much practice time that there is concern about how ready they can be in three weeks, when the Giants open their season in Dallas. Collins is a rookie, and Berhe is a second-year player who didn't play much last season.
The Giants signed veteran safety Brandon Meriweather last week, and Coughlin said they hopeCooper Taylor(toe) can return from his latest injury this week. Veteran Jeromy Miles is also a possibility for significant playing time if the young guys don't advance.
The team plans to have meetings Sunday night to evaluate its needs in the wake of Saturday's game. It's likely that the Giants will sign another defensive back and possibly a linebacker.
On offense, Coughlin declined to speculate about whether wide receivers Victor Cruz (knee, calf) and Rueben Randle (knee) could return from their injuries this week. Coughlin sounded especially confounded about Randle. The coach said Randle has a tendinitis condition, though Randle has played through it before.
"This thing with Rueben has really confused me," Coughlin said.
The Giants play their next preseason game Saturday against the Jets. They open the regular season Sept. 13 against the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
