If there was one player on the Giants defense who looked ready to blast off into the regular season it was Olivier Vernon. He'd seemingly taken to his new position as a linebacker after years as a defensive end and was a constant presence in the offensive backfield in both practices and preseason games.
Now, though, he may not be ready for the Sept. 9 opener against the Jaguars.
Vernon was carted off the field early in Sunday's practice with an ankle injury. Giants coach Pat Shurmur said he would be evaluated and did not give any indication of the severity of the situation, but Vernon had his head in his hands as he was driven to the locker room. Vernon also missed four games last season with a sprained ankle, though it's unclear whether it is the same ankle that took this injury.
"He kind of went inside the block and got his feet tangled up," Shurmur said. "You don't want anyone to get hurt. You want guys to be able to practice and stay healthy. We'll just see. At this point I don't have any information."
