The injury bug has officially upgraded from a pesky nuisance to a full-blown bully for the New York Giants. I'm talking cruel and unusual punishment-level stuff.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped the news Friday afternoon, reporting that while it’s not yet confirmed, the Giants fear Gunner Olszewski may have suffered an Achilles tear after being carted off the field:
Sources: Giants fear that WR Gunner Olszewski, who was carted off the practice field today, tore his Achilles. He will undergo additional testing to confirm the injury. pic.twitter.com/Qp37HGMrp0
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2026
Olszewski’s exit during OTAs is a total gut punch to Big Blue’s special teams unit. Fans will painfully remember him as the fearless weapon who could flip field position on any given Sunday -- or dial up absolute chaos, like throwing an electric 33-yard trick-play touchdown to Jameis Winston.
Giants can’t catch a break after latest Gunner Olszewski injury
If the upcoming medical tests confirm the worst, Olszewski will join a crowded -- and ever-growing -- medical tent.
He would mark the third season-ending casualty of the Giants' early offseason program, following the exact same tragic script as undrafted rookie cornerback Thaddeus Dixon and veteran defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris. Losing three pieces to non-contact Achilles tears before June is unprecedented bad luck, and it forces immediate improvisation.
With Olszewski likely shelved for the season, the spotlight shifts to finding another versatile WR/KR threat. Internal options like Xavier Gipson and Dalen Cambre will get the first crack at absorbing those vacated reps in the return game.
Don't sleep on free-agent addition Calvin Austin III either -- his speed and experience returning punts makes him a logical candidate to see his role expanded if new head coach John Harbaugh wants to make the most of the 27-year-old's 4.3 40-time.
The biggest wildcard, however, might be cornerback Deonte Banks. The 2023 first-round pick is supposed to be focusing on his development into a lockdown corner (we'll settle for a playable one), but seeing as though that's incredibly unlikely, the return game might save him a spot on the 53-man roster come August.
While it's not great he ultimately became a glorified special teamer, he did prove to be an electric weapon for the third phase last year. While Harbs would likely prefer their defensive back to play as a defensive back, Olszewski’s absence might force Harby's hand into getting creative with his best athletes.
This summer just became an absolute nightmare for this coaching staff.
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