New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III
Getty
The New York Giants may be wrapping up their training camp action, but they still have a lot of work to do over the next couple of days. First, they will wrap up their preseason slate with a clash against their crosstown rival, the New York Jets, before turning their attention to their roster, which will need to be trimmed down to 53 players.
One spot that has been the subject of much attention throughout training camp is the wide receiver position, as the Giants are expected to have some tough decisions to make here. Things have taken a turn for the worse here, though, as one of the team’s offseason additions, Calvin Austin III, has suffered a season-ending injury.
Giants Lose Calvin Austin III to Torn ACL
The Giants spent much of the offseason revamping their wide receiver corps, which included signing Austin to a one-year, $4.5 million contract in free agency. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the undersized Austin turned himself into a valuable weapon in the passing game and on special teams during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with his best season coming in 2024 when he caught 36 passes for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
After losing Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, Austin was expected to come in and replace him as New York’s top slot receiver. Beyond that, Austin has also worked as a kickoff and punt returner throughout his career, giving him added value for the Giants. Even with a crowded wide receiver room, Austin was considered a roster lock from the start of training camp.
On Tuesday, Austin was carted off the field with what was believed to be a serious knee injury, which is never a good sign. Sure enough, after doing more testing and scans on his knee, New York discovered that Austin had suffered a torn ACL, which will bring his season to an end before it ever truly got started.
“Giants WR Calvin Austin did in fact suffer a season-ending torn ACL during Tuesday’s practice; as feared,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X. “He was in a contract year, and primed to replace former Giants WR (Wan’Dale Robinson.)”
Giants Forced to Scramble After Calvin Austin III Injury
Calvin Austin
Calvin Austin
Losing Austin for the entire year is a huge blow for the Giants, as he was set to fill several different roles with the team. Instead, a proper replacement will have to be found, which has opened up the competition at the wide receiver position even more over the final few days of training camp.
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Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is an Email Newsletter Editor & Breaking News Writer at Heavy Sports. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, NESN Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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