Giants safety Nat Berhe to have calf surgery, Landon Collins returns

New York Giants safety Landon Collins will return to the field after injuring his knee, but Nat Berhe suffered a setback.

The New York Giants received mixed news about their depleted safety corps on Thursday. Rookie Landon Collins is expected to play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Jets, head coach Tom Coughlin said, but second-year safety Nat Berhe suffered a setback with his calf injury, Coughlin added. 

Berhe will have surgery Friday on his injured calf, he confirmed on Twitter Thursday. He will likely land on injured reserve, Art Stapleton of the Bergen Recordreports. The team is deciding whether it will place Berhe on injured reserve with the designation to return (a designation that can only be used on one player per year) or if he will be placed on season-ending IR.

Collins sprained his MCL in the preseason opener, while Berhe tore a calf muscle earlier this month and has missed almost all of training camp. Berhe returned to practice this week and re-injured himself. 

• Revis: Odell Beckham's catch probably the best I've ever seen

“He re-injured his calf, that’s all I can tell you,” Coughlin said of Berhe, according to Newsday. “He had one day of practice, felt really good, came out here and had the same occurrence that happened the last time. So, he’s re-injured.”

Thank you all for your well wishes and kind words. Having surgery tomorrow morning on my calf to remove a hardened blood clot.

— Nat Berhe (@NatBerhe) August 27, 2015

In my nine years of playing football I've never missed a season or even back to back games for that matter, so I'm upset to say the least

— Nat Berhe (@NatBerhe) August 27, 2015

Just going to do what I can to help this team win games and right now that's focusing on healing. So keep me in your prayers tomorrow.

— Nat Berhe (@NatBerhe) August 27, 2015

#GoBigBlue

— Nat Berhe (@NatBerhe) August 27, 2015

The Giants have been decimated by injuries at safety this preseason. Rookie fifth-round pick Mykkele Thompson tore his Achilles tendon in the first exhibition game and is lost for the season. Two more safeties—undrafted rookie Justin Currie and projected starter Bennett Jackson—suffered season-ending injuries in last weekend’s preseason game. Currie fractured his ankle and Jackson tore his ACL. 

Oft-injured safety Cooper Taylor returned to practice this week after missing time recently with a toe injury. The Giants also signed 31-year-old safety Brandon Meriweather last week to add depth at the position. 

Both of the Giants’ starting safeties from last season—Antrel Rolle and Stevie Brown—left in free agency. 

- Dan Gartland