Giants Week 16 Injury Updates: Pair of Giants Defensive Starters Still Sidelined

Kayvon Thibodeaux headlines the first injury report of the Giants' Week 16 practice week.

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is in jeopardy of missing his fifth consecutive game due to a shoulder injury. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Giants interim head coach said that outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder), defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez Roches (ankle), and inside linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (neck/knee) are among those who were not cleared to practice on Wednesday. 

Thibodeaux has been sidelined since Week 10 with a sprained shoulder, but does not appear to be in jeopardy of being shut down for the rest of the season, according to Kafka, who said the fourth-year defender is still working through his injury. 

"No change yet; he's still working hard.," Kafka said when asked ifthere was a chance of the lienbacker being shut down for the rest of the season.

"At some point, we'll make a decision, but right now he's just working through it. There's some comfortability that he has to get through but he's working hard at it."

Rookie Abdul Carter has filled in nicely for Thibodeaux in the starting lineup opposite Brian Burns. He would get the start on Sunday when the Giants host the Vikings if Thibodeaux ends up missing his fifth straight game.

Receiver Beaux Collins (neck/concussion), who is in Week 2 of his 21-day window, was the other player Kafka said would not practice on Wednesday. Collins started his 21-day window as a full participant last week but then was reduced to a limited participant as the week went on.

That he is not practicing to start this week would suggest that Collins, who in addition to contributing on offense was also a special teams contributor, is still a ways away from being ready to return to the 53-man roster.

In some good news, punt returner Gunner Olszewski (concussion) has cleared the protocol and is good to go for Sunday, barring any other unexpected setbacks this week. 

Also, punter Jamie Gillan (left knee) was cleared to return to practice, but will likely be limited given that he didn’t practice last week.

Both players are likely to be limited to start the new week, but again, there is early optimism that both will be ready to play on Sunday.

Defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was given a rest day on Thursday.

In other injury news, Kafka said the decision to open offensive lineman Evan Neal’s practice window does not necessarily signify an upcoming alteration of the starting offensive lineup. 

"Just think he's ready to roll," Kafka said of Neal. "It’ll be good to get him out there and get some work out in practice."

By opening Neal’s window, the Giants have given themselves another offensive lineman should they want to rest any of the starters during these remaining weeks.  

Giants Practice Participation Report

Did Not Participate

• WR Beaux Collins (concussion/neck)*
• LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (illness)
• DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (ankle)
• OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder)

Limited Participation

• P Jamie Gillan (left knee)
• CB Art Green (illness/hamstring)
• DL Dexter Lawrence (NIR-Rest)
• CB Rico Payton (back)
• CB Dru Phillips (heel)

Full Participation

• OL Joshua Ezeudu (calf)*
• OL Evan Neal (hamstring)*
• WR Gunner Olszewski (concussion)

*In the midst of the 21-day practice window.

Check back later for the full practice participation reports for the Vikings.

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