This was not how the summer was supposed to go for NY Giants wide receiver Collin Johnson. After a breakout preseason last year, Johnson went down with a torn Achillies in devastating fashion. He had been turning heads in camp, which was awesome. The 6-6 wideout was making a lot of plays.
However, in the first preseason contest vs. the Lions, Johnson went down in the first half with a knee injury. Seriously, more adversity for the wideout? On Monday, Johnson was held out of practice after head man Brian Daboll said he believes the injury isn't a serious one.
With that said, Johnson is coming off an injury in '22 and the hope was that he'd be able to look sharp both during practices and game action too. With it being unlikely that he'll play vs. the Panthers, the odds are starting to stack against him:
Brian Daboll says WR Collin Johnson (knee) will not practice today. “I don’t think it’s long-term, but I’m not a doctor, either.”
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) August 14, 2023
Collin Johnson is dealing with a knee injury for the NY Giants
You've really got to feel bad for Johnson. Not long ago, people were hyped about about the great catches he was hauling in during training camp sessions that were open to the public. There was plenty of buzz surrounding his name and he was boosting his stock.
However, it now feels like a long shot that he'll be out on the field for the Week 1 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. If Johnson doesn't get himself back on the field soon, then the practice squad will likely be in his future.
Our ball 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hIAuv1GgAg
— New York Giants (@Giants) August 8, 2023
That's disheartening for him, because when he was at full health, it felt like he had a solid chance to make the 53-man roster. This is more adversity for the youngster, which wasn't needed after what he had to go through with his Achilles injury.
Luckily the Giants have plenty of depth at WR, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Johnson could have been an impact guy for the offense. Hey, you never know, Johnson could get healthy sooner than expected and still prove he's worth a roster spot, but we're not feeling optimistic about that.
READ MORE: 5 NY Giants who disappointed in the loss to the Lions