NFL
Giants get good news on John Michael Schmitz, Evan Neal injuries
The scans are in, and they brought with them good news for the Giants.
Two of their young offensive linemen, starting center John Michael Schmitz and backup tackle Evan Neal, left Saturday’s 10-6 preseason-ending loss to the Jets with ankle issues.
Both players afterward were optimistic they did not incur any serious injury but they were sent for MRIs, just to make sure.
Those scans came back clear, The Post learned, and that means both players should be available for the Sept. 8 season-opener against the Vikings.
Coach Brian Daboll said he saw Schmitz in the team cafeteria on Sunday.
“He’s in good spirits,” Daboll said. “Don’t want to give you information that … I want to make sure it’s right from what I get from the doctors and trainers. But he’s walking around fine.”
Neal, like Schmitz, got his ankle rolled up in the game.
In Neal’s case, it caused alarm, as it was his left ankle, which was surgically repaired in the offseason.
Just in time, the Giants are getting healthier.
Starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. (shoulder), possible starting cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (quad) and rookie nickel back Dru Phillips (ankle), a likely starter, are all expected back on the field this week, according to Daboll, as the Giants engage in a training camp-style few days before taking a break for the Labor Day weekend.
“They’ll be doing more than they did last week,” Daboll said Sunday, “or in Runyan’s case, doing something with the guys that were out.”
Backup quarterback Drew Lock, who did not play in the last two preseason games because of oblique and hip injuries, is on the mend.
“I think Drew will be OK,” Daboll said. “Again, I can’t predict it, but he’s moving in the right direction.
“He actually wanted to do some stuff last week to see how it felt. And he really pushed the envelope to be out there. He’s a tough young man. And then we backed off of it based on how he felt. But I think he’s feeling better. So, we’ll see where we’re at this week.”
Lock’s health could have a direct bearing on Tommy DeVito, as the Giants must decide if they keep two or three quarterbacks. Daboll kept two quarterbacks in his first two seasons with the Giants.
“I have confidence in Tommy,” Daboll said.
The Giants on Sunday began to pare down their roster to the 53-player limit by parting ways with 12 players and are now down to 78.
The lone Joe Schoen draft choice to get cut was guard Marcus McKethan, a 2022 fifth-round pick.
The massive (6-foot-7, 335-pound) McKethan tore his ACL in his first NFL training camp and came back to play in 16 games in 2023, with five starts. The Giants signed several experienced interior linemen to make McKethan’s spot tenuous.
The other cuts: DL Kyler Baugh, CB Breon Borders, CB Christian Holmes, DB Clayton Isbell, WR John Jiles, RB Joshua Kelley, LB Trey Kiser, RB Lorenzo Lingard and WR Ayir Asante. The full cuts must be completed by 4 p.m. on Tuesday. … Daboll confirmed that DL Timmy Horne tore his Achilles tendon. Horne went down on the first play from scrimmage against the Jets.
The Giants waived/injured Horne and DB Jonathan Sutherland.