Jermaine Eluemunor has “really bad bruising” in his ribs, the Giants’ injured right tackle said Thursday.
But head coach Brian Daboll said Eluemunor’s injury is “nothing serious.” There are no fractures, although he did not participate in the second practice of training camp.
“It’s just really bad bruising, so nothing that should keep me out for too long,” Eluemunor said. “Hopefully I can get back out there real soon.”
Eluemunor, 29, was on the field hovering around his teammates during position drills, and he stepped in at right tackle during a brief walkthrough install period. But he didn’t practice as Josh Ezeudu took his place with the first team.
“We’ll see where he’s at after,” Daboll said.
The diagnosis is a relief compared to what Eluemunor’s injury looked like on the field Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence inadvertently crunched Eluemunor in the ribcage with his shoulder while driving upfield, and it took a long time for Eluemunor to get up.
“It’s like you get hit by a truck,” he said. “Could not breathe too well… I thought I was dead at one point [laughs]. No, I’m just playing. It was painful, let’s just say that.”
The plan for this offensive line remains an overriding question and concern, however, even though this injury doesn’t appear to impact Eluemunor’s Week 1 availability.
Eluemunor, who played left guard all spring, confirmed he “stayed at left guard” in all of his training leading up to camp — only to be told on the first day of practice that he’d be at right tackle in place of the injured Evan Neal (left ankle).
And he’ll be there “however long it takes Evan to get back, and then we will revisit the situation,” Daboll said, as free agent signing Aaron Stinnie mans the left guard spot for now.
Eluemunor was asked when he found out when he was going to play right tackle.
“Shoot, same time you all did,” he said.
GM Joe Schoen and Daboll moved Eluemunor over because Neal had a spring setback and had to go on the physically unable to perform list to open camp. Eluemunor was the Raiders’ starting right tackle all of last season, and he said he has no problem making the change.
“I’m willing to do whatever I need to do for the team,” he said. “I’m really happy to be here, so I told [Daboll] and Joe when I came here, wherever they need me is where I am going to play.
“Last year [in Las Vegas], I had to move from left tackle to right tackle on two-day’s notice,” he added. “So it’s something I pride myself in and [something] I am able to do on two, three-day’s notice. So it’s nothing that will affect me in the future if anything [were] to happen.”
Eluemunor’s position flexibility was one of the reasons the Giants coveted him as a free agent, in addition to his chemistry with O-line coach Carmen Bricillo, who came to New York from Vegas this offseason, too.
But it’s not typically constructive to switch linemen to opposite sides. It’s going to take a while for the projected starting five to actually play together as a full unit on a practice field.
And it seems obvious that Schoen will have to sign at least one veteran free agent lineman to reinforce his line’s depth, if not the starting five, which is why the recent visit of former Raiders right guard Greg Van Roten remains top of mind.
It might even be worth taking a look at Neal as a left guard when he gets healthy, even though Daboll said they still think of Neal as a right tackle “for now.”
Whatever it takes to prevent a disaster like last season’s.
As left tackle Andrew Thomas said: “The reality of this business is guys go down, and we have to be prepared. We saw that last year. Hopefully it’s not that bad, but guys deal with injuries during the year. And the next guy has to be ready to step up and protect and run block well.”
DAY TWO PRACTICE NOTES
Daniel Jones hit Jalin Hyatt for a deep touchdown on the left side of the end zone in the biggest play of the Giants’ second training camp practice. Jones also ran well at full speed on his surgically repaired right knee a couple times, which was encouraging … Corner Nick McCloud, who is competing for the starting slot position, battled hard with wideout Wan’Dale Robinson and made some nice plays on the ball. Robinson also won some reps, and the players jawed in a hard-nosed but amicable scene … Reserve wide receiver Dennis Houston had a big day, catching several touchdowns while playing with third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito. Nathan Rourke, interestingly, has not taken a single live rep in training camp so far. And Daboll called him the unequivocal “fourth guy” on the QB depth chart … Rookie second-round safety Tyler Nubin did not practice and worked with the injured group. Daboll typically provides injury updates the day after, since he speaks before each practice … Second-year corner Deonte Banks said he is healthy despite being on a pitch count that has significantly limited his 11-on-11 reps at the start of camp … Inside linebackers Micah McFadden and Carter Coughlin both have been limited in team reps at points these first two days due to ailments, although both have practiced. Dyontae Johnson got a lot of reps next to Bobby Okereke on Wednesday … Isaiah Simmons, who sat out in the spring due to a calf injury, ramped up from third-team work on day one to first-team work on day two.