Suddenly, the New York Giants need veteran tight end Isaiah Likely to be far more than simply a “breakout” player.
The Giants’ offense took a potentially devastating blow when receiver Calvin Austin III suffered a knee injury during Tuesday’s practice. Teammates surrounded him in support before trainers carted the ex-Steelers starter off the field.
It was later reported that Austin had, in fact, torn his ACL, ending his season before it ever began. He’d recently emerged as a reliable target for Jaxson Dart and appeared set to make the Week 1 roster.
The New York Giants need Isaiah Likely to step up in Calvin Austin III’s absence
Austin’s injury comes amid a hectic time for the Giants’ offense. Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney remain the subject of trade rumors, as does embattled running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
For all intents and purposes, Likely should be either the 1B or the No. 2 receiving target. Malik Nabers finally shed the red no-contact jersey earlier this week, and he is expected to play against the Cowboys on Sept. 13.
From the second that Likely signed with the Giants in March, all that we’ve heard is how special he can be when given a starting opportunity. Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh wanted another tight end to partner with Theo Johnson and Chris Mahertz, the latter of whom is almost exclusively used as a blocker.
Harbaugh and Matt Nagy have historically used multiple tight ends as receiving threats. Likely filled the No. 2 role for Harbaugh in Baltimore, with Mark Andrews as the entrenched No. 1.
The Giants’ receiving corps has been a concern for months, and not solely because of Nabers’ knee. There is a realistic chance that Braxton Berrios, of all people, is the only receiver signed this offseason who will suit up in Week 1.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s roster status remains unclear, and the Giants released JuJu Smith-Schuster last week. The Athletic proposed that either Slayton or Mooney — who signed a one-year deal in March — could survive final cuts but regularly be a healthy scratch.
Austin’s injury came barely 24 hours after the Texans acquired Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte for a seventh-round pick and safety Jayden Reed. Fans should expect more trades within the coming days; teams must submit their initial rosters to the league by Sunday night.
Ironically, Harbaugh played with fire by consistently talking Likely up as the league’s next star tight end. We even openly wondered at one point whether he was unintentionally setting the 26-year-old up to fail.
Whatever margin of error Likely had essentially ended on Tuesday afternoon. Nabers cannot carry the passing game on his own, and, with respect to Slayton, there isn’t a trustworthy name left among the receivers.
However, the key word is “receivers,” and Likely could thrive as a “weapon.” That distinction matters even more so now.
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