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New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur expects star linebacker Olivier Vernon to return to practice this week. Vernon has dealt with ankle problems for a majority of the preseason, but he has made tremendous progress and will be working towards getting back on the field by practicing throughout the week, as the team approaches a Week 2 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, via the New York Post.
“He’ll be out there this week. He’s getting closer,” the Giants coach said in his weekly radio spot with Mike Francesa on WFAN. “He’s a fast healer from what I’m told. So he’s going to be at practice [on Wednesday] and throughout. We’ll just see how much he can do as we get ready to play.”
Vernon signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Giants back in 2016. Since then, he has accrued 101 tackles, 15 sacks, and an interception. Despite being without Vernon in their season opener, the Giants' defense did a good job against the Jacksonville Jaguars, especially in the second half. The Giants held them to 93 total yards and didn't allow a score after the break.
The Jaguars lost star running back Leonard Fournette to a hamstring injury, but their team ran for a total of 137 yards against the New York. Getting Vernon back as soon as possible will help the Giants improve upon the one sack they recorded in Week 1 and stuff the running lanes. Having him back at practice should help energize the rest of the team for their rivalry with the Cowboys, making for an interesting divisional matchup next week.
