The New York Giants' unraveling season absorbed another blow Tuesday as the club placed offensive tackle Andrew Thomas on injured reserve.
Thomas missed Week 5 with a left foot injury, then returned for a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, only to exit in the second quarter with a right ankle injury. Thomas will miss a minimum of three games under NFL rules governing players placed on injured reserve after Sept. 1. That means the club will be without it's starting blindside protector for QB Daniel Jones for upcoming games against the Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. Thomas would then have a bye week to further recover before returning, at the earliest, for a Week 11 game against the talented pass rushers of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Andrew is a great player," Jones said, per the New York Post. "He's played well for us this year. He's an important piece."
It's the latest in a series of setbacks for the Giants, who currently anchor the bottom of the NFC East at 1-5. Injuries to RB Saquon Barkley, TE Evan Engram, and multiple wide receivers have rendered the club unable to surround Jones with a full complement of weapons this season. Now, it's an injury up front that threatens an offense that ranks 16th in the NFL in yards per game (360.7).
The fourth overall selection in the 2020 draft, Thomas made 15 starts for the Giants as a rookie. The Giants replaced Thomas with Matt Peart in Week 5 and again for the balance of Sunday's loss to the Rams.
