A scary scene unfolded at New York Giants training camp Wednesday as wide receiver Sterling Shepard was carted off the practice field.
New York Giants slot receiver Sterling Shepard was forced to leave practice on a cart with an apparent leg injury today, according to Dan Duggan of NJ Advanced Media. He was reportedly in tears as he left the field.
Fears over a major injury rise whenever a player is unable to leave the field under his own power, even more so when that player is visibly distraught. You couldn’t blame fans for having flashbacks of Victor Cruz’s torn patella tendon in an October 2014 game against Philadelphia.
Had Shepard gone down with a major injury, the Giants offense would have been dealt a serious blow. The slot receiver fills an important role in the West Coast offense, which is what the Giants run.
Shepard had a very good rookie year. He was second on the team in receiving yards and quickly became a go-to option for Eli Manning, especially on third downs.
However, it appears the team was able to avoid being dealt a serious blow. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the injury was not as serious as it first appeared.
With just a badly rolled ankle, Shepard should be ready to return by the regular season.
His tears were probably a combination of pain and fear. He would have understandably been afraid that his season was over before it began considering how much pain he was in. At the end of the day, the important thing is that the injury is not too serious.