Giants’ starting linebacker Jarrad Davis will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery this summer, according to reports. The 28-year-old Davis had emerged as a key player for the Giants’ defense in 2022, but his return to the field is now uncertain.
Last season, Davis was signed by the Giants from the Lions’ practice squad and quickly became a regular starter. He played in the team’s Week 18 game and both playoff games. Davis continued his first-team role during spring practice and was expected to have a significant impact this upcoming season. However, the undisclosed surgery has put his future on hold, and he is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
It remains unclear whether Davis will be able to return for the start of the 2023 season. In the meantime, the Giants will be looking to reserves Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden to compete for the starting inside linebacker position alongside Bobby Okereke. Beavers, a sixth-round pick from Cincinnati, missed the entirety of the 2022 season due to a torn ACL. Meanwhile, McFadden, a fifth-round rookie, showed promise last year with 59 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two sacks in 17 games.
Davis, who signed a one-year deal with the Giants in free agency, was hoping to establish himself as a starting linebacker after bouncing between three teams from 2020 to 2022. Drafted as the 21st overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Florida, he spent the first four years of his career with the Lions, making 45 starts with mixed results. He then joined the Jets in 2021 but only played in nine games due to injury. Davis returned to the Lions as a practice squad reserve in 2022 before joining the Giants.
The Giants will have to find a way to fill the void left by Davis’s absence and adjust their defensive plans accordingly. Losing a player of his caliber is undoubtedly a blow to their defensive unit. However, it also provides an opportunity for their younger linebackers to step up and make a name for themselves.
As Davis continues his recovery from surgery, the Giants and their fans will have to patiently wait for his return to the field. The team’s success this season might hinge on how well their linebackers can fill his shoes in the meantime.
