Giants Downgrade Safety Jevon Holland for Week 8 Eagles Game

Fourth-year safety Dane Belton, who finished the game for Holland last week, will get the start alongside Tyler Nubin. 

Belton, who has primarily been the hybrid safety/linebacker for the Giants in one of its subpackages, has 24 tackles, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble on the year.

Belton is also the Giants' team leader in special teams tackles, having recorded 12 so far (five solo efforts). It’s unknown if the team plans to reduce his special teams work now that he’ll be required to increase his defensive snaps. 

Belton, a fourth-round pick out of Iowa in 2022, is having one of his best seasons yet in this, his contract year.

Holland is one of three players–the others being cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck)--who did not make the trip to Philadelphia for Sunday’s game.

The Giants have not yet announced their practice squad elevations for Sunday’s game. All eyes remain on the kicker situation, where Graham Gano is currently four days into his 21-day window after being designated to return from IR.

The Giants would have to clear a roster spot if they intended to add Gano, who went through the entire week of practice as a full participant. Likely, one of the three players who were declared out this week could be moved to IR to fit Gano onto the roster.

The other option for New York is to simply use one of its two practice-squad elevations on Younghoe Koo and leave Gano on IR for another week. 

If they activate Gano, there has been some speculation that they’ll elevate Koo regardless, just to have insurance in the event Gano’s groin injury acts up again, as it did in Week 3 during pregame warmups.

Head coach Brian Daboll did not rule out the possibility of carrying two kickers on Sunday.

“I think if we need to do it, we'll do it. If Graham is good to go and feels comfortable, and the medical staff feels comfortable with it, then we won't,” he said.