NY Giants’ LB Oshane Ximines placed on injured reserve, but David Mayo takes significant step towards possible return
The NY Giants placed second-year linebacker Oshane Ximines on injured reserve Friday, but another linebacker could be on the cusp of returning.
Ximines suffered a shoulder injury against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday after appearing in just 19 snaps. The Giants’ third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Ximines has seen his role drastically reduced this season, appearing in just 110 defensive snaps through the first four weeks.
He’ll now miss at least three games.
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As a rookie, Ximines showed plenty of promise, producing 4.5 sacks and 25 total tackles. The Old Dominion product has just five total tackles and no sacks through the first four weeks of this season.
Without Ximines Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants could turn to edge rusher Markus Golden, who led the team with 10 sacks last season but has played just 67 snaps so far this season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Golden has produced six pressures, five quarterback hurries, and one quarterback hit in 49 pass-rush snaps, showing that the veteran can still be productive.
Meanwhile, Giants linebacker David Mayo returned to practice Friday. Mayo tore his meniscus back in August, and him getting back on the practice field starts the three-week clock for the Giants to decide whether to activate him or revert him to the season-ending injured reserve.
Additionally, Giants safety Jabrill Peppers is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to an ankle injury suffered in Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers that kept him out of last week’s contest, and linebacker Kyler Fackrell (neck) and defensive back Adrian Colvert (neck) are both out.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.