Giants' Xavier McKinney designated to return from non-football injured list
Xavier McKinney #29 of the Giants reacts against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife on Sunday, Sept 18, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey Credit: Mike Stobe
With every passing week, the Giants seemed to miss safety Xavier McKinney’s presence in the defensive backfield. Those days may be coming to an end.
On Thursday, the Giants started the 21-day window on McKinney, who has been out with a hand injury. He was designated to return from the non-football injured list and took some scout team reps in practice.
Asked if he anticipates playing Sunday against the Colts, McKinney said, “I’m trying to.” Even if he loses that battle, it is clear that one of the Giants’ most talented players is on his way back.
McKinney told the media that he caught balls from the JUGS gun before the media viewing of practice commenced. He said coaches were asking if he can play. That decision, he said, will be up to the trainers and medical staff.
“I’m telling them I can play, but . . . it’s up to the trainers, the docs,” McKinney said. “I know that they’re going to make the best choice and best decision, but I’m trying to get back out there.”
He described his injured hand as “literally the same as what it was before,” which is particularly good news.
McKinney said he wanted to put his hand through a stressful workout to gauge how he would feel. “When I was out there [at practice], obviously, I’m trying to get back out there, so I have to test it out,” he said.
“Anything that I can do to provide a little bit of contact against it, obviously, I’m trying to do that to see how much I can take, what I need to do, what I don’t need to do. Everything felt fine when I did it.”
Blue notes
CB Adoree’ Jackson could return Sunday. “We’re taking it day by day still,” said Jackson, who was officially limited in practice. “Just going out there, doing all the precautions, doing it right by the book and by the plan. Not trying to rush it.” . . . LB Azeez Ojulari, who injured his ankle Saturday in Minnesota, remained limited in practice. There was optimism on Thursday that Ojulari will play against the Colts.
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
