New York Giants Tae Crowder
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Rookie inside linebacker Tae Crowder has been designated to return after finding himself on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Tae Crowder is taking the next step towards returning to the game field.

Per Dan Salomone of the New York Giants official website, Crowder has been designated to return and will begin practicing again. The rookie inside linebacker and 2020 Mr. Irrelevant has been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and missed the last three games.

Designating Crowder for return gives the Giants 21 days to activate him, or else he remains on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. It’s reasonable to believe Crowder will be good to go for the Week 10 matchup against Philly. With the Giants’ bye coming in Week 11, the team likely wouldn’t have designated him for return if they felt he couldn’t be activated for Sunday, and would’ve instead waited.

Crowder landed on injured reserve right after the Giants’ Week 6 win over Washington, a game in which the rookie scooped up a Kyle Allen fumble and returned it for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Crowder had notched the start in that game alongside Blake Martinez.

In Crowder’s absence, the Giants have utilized the likes of David Mayo and Devante Downs in the starting lineup. Mayo notched his first start of the year this past Sunday against Washington but saw just six defensive snaps of playing time, racking up zero tackles.

If Crowder does indeed play on Sunday, it’s unclear what his role would be within Patrick Graham’s scheme-based defensive lineup.

Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.