New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III was carted off the field after sustaining an apparent right knee injury during Tuesday’s practice.
Austin was cutting while working against Deonte Banks during a 1-on-1 drill when his knee appeared to buckle. Austin was consoled by his teammates on the field and again by Giants co-owner John Mara, who followed Austin in his own cart and tapped the wideout on the helmet and shoulder pads.
Signed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, Austin played the past three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
“The nice thing about Calvin is that he can play all three (receiver) spots,” Giants head coach John Harbaugh said of the 5-foot-9, 162-pound Austin after Monday’s practice. “You can move him around in any one of those positions. He’s a ‘smaller receiver,’ and yet he can go outside. He’s played outside a lot. You don’t see that that often. So, he gives us a lot of versatility that way. Kind of everything you ask him to do, he does it well. He’s very reliable. Runs the right routes, makes catches. He’s been that way kind of his whole career.”
Austin, 27, had 31 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games (seven starts) last season.
He had 84 receptions for 1,100 yards and eight scores in 48 career regular-season games (16 starts) with the Steelers.
Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said he had “no idea” how seriously Austin was injured, but it would be “a blow” if the team were to lose him. Nagy stressed Harbaugh’s “next man up” ethic applies. The injury could provide Odell Beckham Jr. and other receivers an opportunity for more playing time.
–Field Level Media
