New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard suffered an ankle injury in training camp, but who would step up to replace him if he misses regular-season time?
New York Giants fans held their collective breath on Tuesday. The hope is that the Big Blue offense will boast one of the best receiving corps in the league in 2017. However, one of the components of that in second-year wideout Sterling Shepard was carted off the field with a leg injury.
It is still way too early in the game to begin speculating how many games Shepard will miss in 2017. The hope is that head coach Ben McAdoo’s latest indication of a rolled ankle is accurate because it is never a good sign when an athlete goes down in tears.
#Giants coach Ben McAdoo confirms to reporters that WR Sterling Shepard "rolled his ankle" Like a basketball-type injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 2, 2017
There is zero reason at this point to believe anything more or less than what McAdoo is saying. However, there were no doubt Giants fans who immediately flashed back to Victor Cruz’s patellar tendon tear in 2014.
An ankle roll would be an ideal situation for Shepard and the Giants, especially coming off of the bright rookie season he had in 2016. No, it would not be a good thing, but he would surely take that over a tear or break. Regardless, there’s a chance he could miss some time. But what effect will this have on the offense? Not only that, but who will be chosen to step up in his absence?