Brian Daboll had said Aaron Robinson was unlikely to return from IR this season. Recent news not only indicates that will definitively not happen but points to Robinson missing the Giants’ 2023 offseason program.
The knee injury Robinson suffered in Week 4 was a torn MCL and partially torn ACL, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. Robinson underwent surgery last month and is staring at a nine-month recovery timetable, Duggan adds. While this provides clarity, it is a major blow to a recent Day 2 pick.
The Giants chose Robinson in the 2021 third round, but the regime that selected him is now gone. Robinson began his career late after rehabbing a core muscle surgery, playing in just nine games as a rookie. After being a part-time contributor (two starts) last season, the Giants greenlit a major role expansion for the Central Florida and Alabama product. Robinson emerged as a starter this season, but a September appendectomy and these October knee maladies — sustained 10 snaps into the Giants’ Week 4 game — figures to set him back.
A training camp return seems the best bet for the 6-foot-1 defender. The Giants have dealt with extensive injury trouble in their secondary — one already depleted by the new regime making James Bradberry and Logan Ryan cap casualties — this season, limiting first-year DC Don Martindale. Adoree’ Jackson suffered an MCL sprain last month; the team’s No. 1 corner will miss a third straight game this week. Third-round pick Cor’Dale Flott also missed a chunk of his rookie season. These issues have left the 7-4-1 team’s corner contingent significantly shorthanded; the team has not won any of the games Jackson has missed. Fabian Moreau, whom the Texans cut after training camp, has become an every-week starter for the Giants.
After the Giants cut Ryan and let Jabrill Peppers sign with the Patriots in free agency, they have seen Xavier McKinney run into injury trouble. An ATV accident has sidelined McKinney for the past month; he remains on New York’s reserve/NFI list. McKinney suffered a broken hand and underwent a procedure to have pins removed from three fingers this week, Duggan adds (via Twitter). The former second-round pick again expressed confidence he will return this season but couched that by indicating he needs more time to heal.
It was a nice run for the Gmen as they exceeded expectations and the coaching staff got the most out of what they had to work with. It’s catching up to them now with the recent loses and tough schedule ahead. But at least meaningful games to be played in December is a nice change.