David Diehl Out 6 Weeks

As Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger has reported, David Diehl will be out for 6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his thumb. The surgery was apparently done in response to an MRI taken this morning, which revealed “instability” in the thumb.

Though the injury weakens an offensive line that also recently lost its starting center David Baas, this may turn out to be a good thing for the Giants long-term. Diehl had really struggled in the first couple preseason games and in practice. Hopefully, the thumb injury explains some of that, and he’ll come back stronger and more effective after having the surgery. If my math is correct, a 6-week absence brings him back in time for the Giants’ Week 5 matchup with the Eagles, meaning he’d only miss 4 regular season games. In the short-term, the G-men will have to rely on their backups, including first-rounder Justin Pugh, to fill the gaps.