New York Giants rookie Xavier McKinney suffers fractured foot, will undergo surgery
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Xavier McKinney was expected to play a significant role for the New York Giants as a rookie, and his emergence as one of the most important players on the defense was not a question of if, but when.
Now that timetable is going to be much longer than anticipated.
The Giants announced Wednesday before practice at MetLife Stadium that McKinney was headed for surgery after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his left foot.
While the injury is not considered season-ending, McKinney will likely need a minimum of eight weeks of rehabilitation, so his 2020 season will begin on injured reserve.
That pushes any potential return to November at the earliest.
The Giants were poised to use a lot of three-safety looks with Jabrill Peppers, Julian Love and McKinney on the field together. Now that puts more pressure on Love to continue his strong showing this summer and carry over the impressive finish to his rookie season from last December.
McKinney, the Giants’ second-round pick, provides the level of versatility Joe Judge and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham want to build their defensive system around.
His injury wasn’t the only notable one for the Giants on Wednesday, with inside linebacker David Mayo sustaining a torn meniscus in his knee.
An intriguing free agent that could re-enter the mix to help compensate for the loss of McKinney would be former Patriots and Rutgers star Logan Ryan, who has been eyeing a transition to safety.
It’s more likely the Giants place more responsibilities on rookie fourth-rounder Darnay Holmes and use him on the field in more sub-packages both in the slot and in coverage.
Holmes has been a star in training camp and appears to have the skill set to be an asset all over the secondary.