New York Giants Place Three on Injured Reserve

The Giants have placed linebacker TJ Brunson, offensive lineman Kyle Murphy, and safety Joshua Kalu on the injured reserve list.

All three players suffered season-ending injuries in Saturday's preseason loss to the Jets. 

One of the team's seventh-round draft picks last season, Brunson sustained a torn ACL not long after forcing a big fumble that set up the Giants' only successful scoring drive of the game.

Brunson, an inside linebacker, was active for five games as a rookie last season.  

Murphy, a second-year offensive lineman out of Rhode Island whom the Giants liked enough last year to protect toward the end of the season by moving him from the practice squad to the active roster, suffered an ankle injury for which he had to be carted off. 

The loss of Murphy deals another blow to the Giants' rapidly thinning depth along the offensive line. Earlier this summer, the Giants had two veterans retire, Joe Looney and Zach Fulton. 

They also saw projected starting guard Shane Lemieux suffer a knee injury that, while not severe, has kept him sidelined, and their reserve interior lineman, Jonotthan Harrison, begin camp on the PUP list with a hamstring strain.

Kalu, a safety, was projected to add some firepower to special teams, was previously with the Titans. He had eight special teams tackles last year (five solos), finishing fourth on the Titans in that category.  

Players added to injured reserve during the preseason are not eligible to return from Injured Reserve unless they are waived off the list with an injury settlement. 

Once the settlement's terms expire, teams could potentially bring back a player if he is able to pass a physical.

Earlier in the day, the Giants swapped out their third-string quarterbacks, waiving/injured Clayton Thorson, who reportedly suffered a concussion in Saturday evening's loss, and replacing him with Brian Lewerke. 

The Giants also made their acquisition via trade of cornerback/special teamer Keion Crossen in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round pick official.