Sterling Shepard not ruled out of Giants preseason opener
New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard has returned to the practice field after injuring his ankle last Wednesday.
Shepard was a limited participant in Monday’s practice, participating in individual drills and doing so without a limp.
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“He was running around, I didn’t see any noticeable limp or anything like that,” head coach Ben McAdoo said. “He was moving around good, some change in direction, looked fine.”
The Giants will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers Friday. Shepard could play in the preseason opener has although he has not run live drills or participated in a full practice since his injury.
McAdoo held quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. out of last year’s preseason opener despite both players being healthy. He insists he will take no such precautions with Shepard.
“It’s hard to be cautious coaching this game,” McAdoo said. “We have to get guys ready to play and compete. That’s the big thing now, and getting the fundamentals right. If you go through and you’re cautious and you’re not physical, it’s hard to be ready in Week 1.”
Rain is in the forecast for Friday’s preseason opener. The Giants should exercise some caution as the regular season opener against the Dallas Cowboys will be 29 days after Friday’s game.
Shepard injured his ankle during a non-contact drill during last Wednesday’s practice. McAdoo called the injury “a basketball type injury” at the time. He will be a main contributor as the Giants’ slot receiver. Shepard had 65 receptions for 683 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie season.
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