At this time a year ago, general manager Jerry Reese was endorsing top prospect David Wilson as the potential "lead dog" in the New York Giants' backfield.
After splitting the 2013 season betweencoach Tom Coughlin's doghouse and the injured reserve list, Wilson is no longer viewed as a sure thing in the team's ground attack.
"I think we'll have to have some contingency plans at the running back position," Reese said Monday, via the New York Post. "I don't think you go into the next season saying David Wilson's going to be our No. 1 starting running back. I don't think you can do that."
Reese's skepticism owes more to Wilson's disc injury and spinal stenosis than any lingering dissatisfaction over his disappointing early-season production.
Reese didn't want to talk "doctor mumbo jumbo" about Wilson's neck, but he did reveal that surgery is a possibility in the near future. If Wilson does go under the knife, the Giants expect him to be ready for the start of the 2014 season.
Wilson's situation calls to mind that of another fumble-prone player with neck problems, former Houston Texans running back Steve Slaton. Neck surgery is a red flag for any player, especially one at a position that requires at least a dozen collisions per game.
Reese acknowledges the possibility that his 2012 first-round draft pick's career might never play out as the team envisioned.
"When you talk about necks, there's always a possibility," Reese said. "We're hopeful and the earlier reports that I've gotten, doctors do think they can fix this and he'll be able to play."
Expect a running back to be on Reese's shopping list this offseason.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" recapped all of Week 17's wild action.
