The New York Giants are likely to be without starting tight end Jake Ballard in this Saturday’s critical game against the New York Jets. Head coach Tom Coughlin said Monday that Ballard aggravated an old PCL injury during Sunday’s 23-10 loss to the Washington Redskins.
“We are going to look at this day-to-day but we expect that he will (miss Saturday’s game).” Coughlin said. "It is a good medical guess right now but we hesitate to say if he is out and how long he is out or anything like that. I would think at this point in time he is going to miss some time.
“I am hoping it is not a season ender. No, it is not one of those. It depends on how fast the knee will come around and we are just going to have to wait and see.”
To make matters worse all three of New York’s tight ends are now banged up. Travis Beckum missed Sunday’s game with a chest injury, and Bear Pascoe sustained a rib injury. Coughlin was not sure of Pascoe’s availability.
Coughlin also said it is possible that defensive end Osi Umenyiora, out with an ankle injury, will not play again this season.
“I’m very concerned because we were hoping we’d have him back,” Coughlin said. “Again, we’re going to take it day to day, but we’d have to have some major improvement here to be able to say that he could go.”
In a bit of good news Coughlin said that Devin Thomas, carted off the field at halftime Sunday after suffering what looked like a serious injury, suffered only a burner and has been cleared to return to practice.