On Saturday, it was announced that the New York Giants placed two players on injured reserve. One is a key backup, while the other is a pivotal part of the offense. To be specific, Tyrod Taylor & Darren Waller head to IR. The question is: now what?
Uncertainty At QB2
Tyrod Taylor played well when he had to take over as the starting quarterback when Daniel Jones went down with a neck injury. He almost led the Giants to a win over the Buffalo Bills, and did just enough to beat the Commanders at home. Unfortunately, he went down with a rib injury against the Jets last Sunday. He had just eight passing yards in that game.
Taylor has battled injuries for most of his career. This recent one just adds to the list.
Luckily, Daniel Jones was cleared for contact this week and is set to return as the starting quarterback. That’s good news for head coach Brian Daboll. He had to deal with Tommy Devito as the replacement for Taylor against the Jets last week.
With Jones as the clear starter, Devito shifts back to being the backup. The former Syracuse & Illinois product may not last as the QB2 for long. The Giants signed Matt Barkley to the practice squad recently.
I expect Barkley to continue to learn the system and knock off any rust in the next week or so. Once that’s done, he should take over as the main backup to Jones.
No Waller Means It’s Bellinger’s Time
Last season, the Giants had Daniel Bellinger serve as the starting tight end. Now, the second-year player from San Diego State will have to fulfill that role once again. With Darren Waller out for the next four weeks with a hamstring injury, it’s 2022 all over again for this position group.
Lawrence Cager is set to be activated to the main roster and serve as the TE2.
Bellinger had 30 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns last year. Waller’s arrival has eaten into his production mightily. With just four catches for 28 yards this year, it’s been a quiet season so far for Bellinger.
Now, he’ll have to step up and be a dependable target for Jones.
Daniel Jones to Daniel Bellinger for a Giants touchdown! pic.twitter.com/obxLHMg6NN
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) January 15, 2023
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