Typically, teams don't allow themselves more than a day to mourn a Sunday loss. The Giants might need an extra minute or two.
Running back Shane Vereen is expected to out for the season after sustaining a triceps issue against the Redskins that will require surgery, Giants coach Ben McAdoo told reporters during a Monday conference call.
While McAdoo said the surgery would end Vereen's 2016 campaign, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that might not actually be the case, per two sources informed of the prognosis and the team's plans. Vereen's recovery time is six to eight weeks and depending on what the Giants do with him and their IR spots, Vereen might return to action for them this year, Garafolo added.
The 27-year-old former Patriot came to the Giants last year to be the pass-catching back that pieced together McAdoo's East Coast-style Packers offense. Vereen had 31 rushing attempts for 147 yards and a touchdown this year. As a pass catcher, he hauled in an additional eight passes for 75 yards. The bulk of his third down duties will likely be handed down to five-year veteran Bobby Rainey.
Rainey caught a pass for 24 yards against Washington on Sunday.
The Giants fortunately padded their running back depth chart this offseason. Orleans Darkwa had a strong 53-yard performance against the Redskins on Sunday and rookie Paul Perkins is still on the bench. Workhorse Rashad Jennings did not suit up on Sunday, opting to nurse a thumb issue, although NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported there's optimism he'll be back this week.
While Vereen seems easy to replace, his protection was second only to his understanding of the passing game and could be the hardest issue for McAdoo to overcome. Eli Manning was knocked around a bit by the Redskins' pass rush over the weekend and could be in for a rude awakening against the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
