Giants Get Good News on 2 Key Injuries Ahead of Week 5
The New York Giants got Week 5 rolling with an October 1 practice that revealed the status of several injuries, and the good news is that both quarterback Jaxson Dart and left tackle Andrew Thomas appear ready to go after the victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Jaxson Dart [was] a full participant with the hamstring injury,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan noted after Wednesday’s practice. “He was wearing compression on his left leg by the time we came out for the end of practice.”
Duggan also relayed that “Andrew Thomas [was] not even listed [on the injury report] after playing the entire game on Sunday.”
Needless to say, this is great news for the Giants as they prepare for the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. With star wide receiver Malik Nabers out for the year, Dart and Thomas are easily the two most important players on the offensive side of the ball.
With them healthy, Big Blue has a much better shot of winning their second-straight outing on Sunday.
Giants Injury Update Ahead of Week 5 vs. Saints
Along with the update on Dart and Thomas, Duggan also reported the following from Wednesday’s practice.
“[Head coach Brian] Daboll said RB Tyrone Tracy (shoulder), RG Greg Van Roten (vet day) and DT Dexter Lawrence (illness) won’t practice today,” he posted. “Daboll said they don’t expect to start the clocks to return for any players on IR/PUP (Josh Ezeudu, Victor Dimukeje, Rico Payton) this week.”
On Tracy, Duggan added that “Tracy worked on the side with trainers.” And that “[Tracy] was joined by safety Tyler Nubin, who was in-and-out late in Sunday’s game. Nubin was wearing a sleeve on his right leg.”
The official October 1 injury report listed Lawrence, Nubin (groin), Tracy, and Van Roten as players who “did not participate” in practice.
A large group of Giants were also “limited” at practice on Wednesday. They were safeties Dane Belton (shoulder) and Jevon Holland (neck), defensive linemen D.J. Davidson (foot), Chauncey Golston (ankle) and Rakeem Nunez-Roches (foot), and center John Michael Schmitz (ankle).
Dart (hamstring), fellow quarterback Russell Wilson (ankle), and running back Cam Skattebo (knee) were all listed as full participants.
Jaxson Dart Is Now the Focus of the Giants’ 2025 Season
Although the defense has shown some spunk and ferocity, the major focus of the 2025 season is now the week-to-week progress and development of Dart.
Of course, you’d love to see the Giants work their way into the playoff hunt, but with a tough schedule ahead and the veteran QB benched, priority shifts to Dart getting better and better every week. Naturally, if this happens, Big Blue should also be competing in games, giving head coach Brian Daboll a longer leash on his job.
It all works hand in hand, and it all begins with Dart and Thomas.
The spotlight is on the quarterback, as always, but every rookie QB needs a steady protector watching his blindside. That’s where Thomas comes in, because Dart must stay on the field if he’s going to develop into a franchise signal-caller.
The first-round quarterback played with a bit of reckless abandon in Week 5. While the on-field personality got the Giants the win, it also put Dart’s body in harm’s way on several occasions.
This is one area where Dart must learn and get smarter. Even the best mobile quarterbacks around the NFL have figured out the hard way that you cannot get away with taking too many hits in this league.
Dart must recognize that before he runs into a collision that lands him back on the injury list.
Xavier Watts named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month
The rookie safety is off to a great start in his professional career.
Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month, the league announced Wednesday.
This accolade comes amid the Falcons' Week 5 bye. The team is 2-2.
Atlanta selected Watts with the No. 96 overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was named the starter opposite veteran Jessie Bates III before Week 1. Since then, he has proven to be a ball hawk in the secondary, grabbing two picks already.
Watts is one of just 13 players in the NFL with more than one interception. Only two players have more than him — Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd — and both of them are veterans. Watts is the only rookie in the league with more than one interception.
In fact, Watts is the first Falcons rookie with multiple picks since linebacker Deion Jones in 2016 and the first with multiple picks through the first four games since linebacker Al Richardson, who was later voted Defensive Rookie of the Year, and defensive back Kenny Johnson in 1980.
Watts' interceptions came in each of the Falcons' wins. He picked off Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy in Week 2 and then Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota in Week 4. Watts’ interception in Minnesota sealed Atlanta's victory in the fourth quarter. His interception against Washington prevented the Commanders from scoring off a deep ball in the end zone when Atlanta had a two-possession lead.
"Shoot, you're talking about the Rookie of the Week and definitely put himself in contention for Rookie of the Year," Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said on Sept. 11. "He played that type of game (against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). You saw just the exceptional ball skills, instinct, feel that he has. Now we've just got to refine it and just keep working with him.
"The beauty of X — and I'm getting to know him as we go here — he just feels like a guy that will never be satisfied. He's just going to keep pushing to get better. Guys have a little success early on. Sometimes that's dangerous. They kick their feet up and they believe, 'I got it.' And I don't feel that from him at all."
Overall, Watts has totaled 23 tackles, 17 of which were solo. He has also had four pass breakups.
