An already thinned receiving corps for the Giants appears to be dwindling even further.
Cody Latimer joined Sterling Shepard on the sidelines during practice Thursday, and both have been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bills.
Shepard already was in concussion protocol after sustaining a head injury during the Giants’ Week 1 loss to Dallas. Latimer, who had three receptions for 74 yards against the Cowboys, left individual drills during Thursday’s session with what the Giants later revealed is a calf injury. He joined Shepard in working with a training staff member away from the rest of the team.
Latimer appeared to be moving gingerly, while the improving Shepard was much more active in various running drills.
“He’s doing OK. I’m not sure of his availability, but we’ll see as the week progresses,” Shurmur said about Shepard before practice, without mentioning Latimer. “There are certain steps he’s got to go through, and he still got a couple of more to go. He did a good job [Wednesday], but he’s still got a few things he’s got to [do]. So we’ll see.”
Shepard also missed time during the preseason with a thumb injury after signing a four-year contract extension worth $41 million.
If neither Shepard nor Latimer are able to suit up Sunday, the Giants’ starting receivers likely would be Russell Shepard, Benny Fowler and T.J. Jones, who was brought back this week after getting cut at the end of the preseason.
Veteran wideout Golden Tate, signed to a three-year contract worth $37.5 million as a replacement for traded Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason, will be serving his second game of a four-game suspension in Week 2.
With fifth-round pick Darius Slayton also likely to be sidelined at least another game while working his way back from a hamstring injury, undrafted rookie Reggie White Jr. could be a candidate to be promoted from the practice squad. Jones was re-signed when linebacker Kareem Martin was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a knee injury.
“We felt like T.J. obviously is familiar with our system,” Shurmur said. “He’ll give us a little bit in terms of the return game, he’s done it before. He’s a guy that can play inside and out. I felt like just because he’s got familiarity and he’s kept himself in shape, that he would be a good guy to have.”
The depleted receiver group is another reason the Giants are likely to lean more this week on second-year running back Saquon Barkley, who totaled just 15 touches in Sunday’s loss to Dallas. The Bills’ defense allowed just eight points against the Jets in a 17-16 comeback victory in Week 1.
“I think they’re a good football team,” Shurmur said. “They’re gritty. I talked about it at length a couple of different places this week, but I have a lot of respect for [Bills coach] Sean McDermott and obviously [defensive coordinator] Leslie Frazier, who we grew up in the profession together on [Andy Reid’s] first staff [with the Eagles].
“I’ve got a lot of respect for what they do teaching the defense, and they’ve got really good players. … They’re one of those top-five-type defenses that helps teams win games.”
The NFL announced Aug. 13 it had denied Tate’s appeal of his ban for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The 10-year veteran is not allowed at the team facility until Sept. 30, the Monday leading into Week 5 of the season. Tate is eligible to return to the active roster and make his Giants debut Oct. 6 against the Vikings.
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