Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is escorted off the field to the medical tent during last Sunday’s game against Miami. Jones has not practiced this week and he is trending toward missing this week’s game because of a neck injury. Doug Murray/Associated Press
Saquon Barkley’s status for Sunday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills remains unclear.
“I’m getting better,” the New York Giants running back said Thursday after practice. “Similar mindset to last week. Trust the trainers and continue to rehab and take it day by day. I feel better this Wednesday and Thursday than last Wednesday and Thursday, but when you have injuries, sometimes it takes time. I’ve been listening to the trainers … and trying to do everything I can.”
Based on that answer, the guess is that Barkley is likely to miss his fourth straight game when the Giants (1-4) face the Bills (3-2) at Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium.
When asked about the fan who taunted Daniel Jones last Sunday in the fourth quarter after the quarterback left the game against the Miami Dolphins because of a neck injury, Barkley was able to offer a much more direct answer. A video of the incident shows Barkley yelling back at the fan, and he explained why.
“We live in New York and New Jersey and we play for the New York Giants,” Barkley said. “It’s expected that they want a team that goes out there and wins. When it’s booing or cheering … I’m OK with that. I don’t let that get under my skin. But that moment, especially when D.J. is someone who will give his freaking all for this franchise and this city … and he’s sitting in a blue tent getting his neck checked and you got a fan just (cursing) at him, that doesn’t sit well with me.”
Barkley defended the right of fans to boo the Giants for the way they are playing.
“If the fans don’t like the product we’re putting out there, we have to give them a product to be happy about,” he said. “So go ahead and boo. But have sympathy, too. He’s a human being and out of all people, it shouldn’t be (Jones).”
If Barkley can’t play Sunday, it will be the fourth straight game he has missed because of a high right ankle sprain. That’s the same amount of games he missed in 2021 after a similar injury.
The Giants, of course, are also looking at facing the Bills without Jones, who did not practice again Thursday because of the neck injury.
Giants Coach Brian Daboll did not say much about the injury before practice, adding the fifth-year quarterback’s status would be determined over the next few days.
The Giants have lost three straight games, and it will be hard to beat the Bills with veteran backup Tyrod Taylor making his first start since late in the 2021 season. He was playing for Houston that season. He signed with New York in 2022.
BRONCOS: Frank Clark’s short, strange journey with the Broncos is coming to an end. Denver intends to trade or release him over the coming days after agreeing with the veteran pass rusher to a restructured deal that facilitates either outcome, sources confirmed to The Denver Post.
Clark didn’t practice Tuesday because ofo a reported illness and then was ruled out for Thursday’s night’s game against his old team, Kansas City. Clark was in the locker room briefly during the time open to reporters Tuesday, but Broncos media relations staff said he was not available for interview because of his illness.
Clark appeared in just two games for Denver, playing in the opener against Las Vegas but injuring an adductor muscle near his hip. He returned to play 11 snaps against the Jets last week. His totals as a Bronco: 36 snaps and two tackles.
BROWNS: Deshaun Watson isn’t practicing, and it’s looking more likely that he won’t be playing this week either.
Cleveland’s starting quarterback missed his third straight practice as he continues to rehab a bruised rotator cuff in his right shoulder, an injury that may keep him out of Sunday’s game against the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers.
While Watson stayed inside, P.J. Walker again worked with Cleveland’s starting offense. If Watson can’t play, and signs are pointing to that being the case, Walker will make his debut for the Browns (2-2).
Watson hasn’t practiced fully since Sept. 22, two days before he injured his shoulder on a running play in a win over Tennessee. The 28-year-old was limited the following week in practice but was expected to play against Baltimore.
JAGUARS: Jacksonville defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton took a significant step toward playing again this season.
Hamilton returned to the practice field for the first time in nearly two months after dealing with a back infection that landed him on crutches, in the hospital, and undergoing roughly six weeks of IV antibiotics.
The Jaguars opened a 21-day window for Hamilton to rejoin the active roster. That also allowed him to work on the side during practice. Hamilton, who remains on injured reserve, is expected back after the team’s Week 9 bye.
WALT GARRISON, who led the Big 8 in rushing as an Oklahoma State Cowboy, won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys, and in the NFL offseason competed as a rodeo cowboy, has died. He was 79.
The team said in a story on its website Thursday that Garrison died overnight. It did not give a cause of death.
A fifth-round draft choice out of Oklahoma State, Garrison played nine years in Dallas and retired in 1974 as the No. 3 rusher and No. 4 receiver in franchise history. He is still fourth on Dallas’ all-time list with 4.32 yards per carry and ninth with 3,491 rushing yards.
But it was Garrison’s rodeo career – which he called his first love – that made him the ultimate cowboy. As a little-used backup during his rookie season, he would go out after team meetings and compete in local rodeos as a steer wrestler, then get back to the hotel before 11 p.m. curfew.
“I wasn’t starting,” Garrison was quoted as saying. “I was returning punts and kicks and covering on the kamikaze squad, that’s all I was doing. And hell, you could get hurt worse on them than you can rodeoing. I didn’t think much about it, but the Cowboys did.”
Dallas Coach Tom Landry soon prohibited the moonlighting during the season. But Garrison continued in the offseason.
“Coach Landry pointed out that there was a clause in my contract that if I got hurt doing another sport, that my contract would be null and void,” Garrison said. “And I said, ‘OK.’ I didn’t think rodeo was that dangerous.”
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