Giants Injury Updates: Brian Burns, Dru Phillips, and More

Some key starters were held out of practice due to "minor" issues. Here's where things stand after the Giants' third straight padded practice at The Greenbrier.

New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns is dealing with a "minor issue" according to head coach John Harbaugh. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Giants just capped a string of three straight padded practices down at The Greenbrier, but apparently the hits are starting to build up.

Outside linebacker Brian Burns, cornerback Dru Phillips, and safety Beau Brade were among those who either didn’t practice or, as was the case with Phillips, left practice early with an injury.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters after practice that all of them were dealing with what he believed to be minor issues, even going so far as to say that had there been a game today, Burns, the team’s best player on defense last year, would have been ready to go.

Burns’ absence gave fellow outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had been mostly working with the second-team defense, a chance to work with the first-team unit.

Phillips, the team’s top slot cornerback, was injured during the practice, with the consensus being something with his right leg. Ar’Darius Washington stepped in for Phillips for the remainder of the practice.

Rookie receiver Malachi Fields has also now missed two days of 11-on-11 for an undisclosed issue, which Harbaugh also characterized as “minor.”

Fields’ absence in team drills has led to veteran Odell Beckham Jr. getting more looks with the first-team offense, the veteran receiver taking advantage of his reps as he fights for a roster spot in a very crowded Giants receivers room.

Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who sat out Tuesday’s practice with knee swelling, returned to work on Wednesday.

Giants running back Cam Skattebo, who is back from a season-ending ankle injury, has been having his workload monitored, Harbaugh revealed.

“We always do. Not just his—really all the guys, but he's definitely a guy that we were trying to put the mileage into certain types of plays,” the head coach said. 

“We wanted him to be in the team reps as much as possible. So, he got quite a few good teamwork reps.”

The Giants return to the practice field on Thursday, a session that Harbaugh said earlier in the week would be more of a “mental” day.

CBA rules prohibit teams from being in full pads for more than three consecutive days, and with the Giants having just completed their third straight day in pads, they will not be able to put the pads back on until three calendar days starting on Thursday elapse.

That would mean the next time the players will be in pads is Monday, their first practice back in East Rutherford. In the meantime, the Giants will be at The Greenbrier through Saturday before getting a day off.

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