Azeez Ojulari was already set to miss his third straight game with a calf injury when the Giants face Jacksonville on Sunday. Now, it looks like he’ll miss an extended period of time even after the Week 7 matchup.
The Giants on Saturday placed the second-year outside linebacker on injured reserve. This knocks Ojulari out for at least the next four games (he’s already missed four matchups this year). The earliest he can now return is on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys.
Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will be asking a lot from outside linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jihad Ward in the absence of Ojulari (and Oshane Ximines, who will be missing Sunday’s game with a quad injury). But the guy who truly needs to step up over the next month is Quincy Roche, who the Giants have elevated from the practice squad for Sunday.
The second-year outside linebacker showed flashes of talent after he was claimed off waivers by the Giants in 2021. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Steelers, Roche racked up 38 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks in 14 games (three starts) for New York last year.
While he’s managed to stay with the organization, Roche hasn’t fully caught on with this new Brian Daboll-led coaching staff and has only been active once this season (Week 1). He will have a great chance to prove himself on Sunday though. Success in the pass-rushing department against the Jaguars (and in games thereafter) would certainly help Roche land an expanded role in Martindale’s defense.
More football from ESNY:
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- Jets at Broncos Week 7 NFL preview: Can young offense rise to stiff challenge?
- Jets-Broncos NFL Week 7 picks, predictions: Zach Wilson vs. Russell Wilson
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