Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin had been a lock to earn a roster spot, but he will instead miss the season after leaving Tuesday’s practice with a non-contact knee injury. Austin suffered a torn ACL, Adam Schefter of ESPN confirms.
Austin was an inexpensive offseason pickup for the Giants, who added him on a one-year, $1.5MM deal after a career-opening run in Pittsburgh. A fourth-round pick in 2022, Austin made his debut the next year and went on to catch 84 passes for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in 48 games with the Steelers.
Austin set personal bests in catches (38), yards (548) and TDs (four) during a full season in 2024. The 5-foot-9, 162-pounder was on track to surpass at least a couple of those numbers last year, but a shoulder injury limited him to 14 games, 31 receptions, 372 yards and four scores.
A healthy Austin would have begun the season as the Giants’ top slot receiver. Now that he is out of commission, the role will “likely” go to Braxton Berrios, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Berrios, another of the Giants’ free agent additions, was at his most productive during a 46-catch, 431-yard season with the Jets in 2021. However, Berrios’ output has fallen off dramatically in recent years. He had zero catches in six games with the Dolphins in 2024 and six grabs in four contests with the Texans last season.
In addition to clearing a path for Berrios to make more of an offensive impact, Austin’s injury could open the door for Odell Beckham Jr. to make the team. Beckham, who went to three Pro Bowls with the Giants from 2014-18, rejoined Big Blue in June after sitting out all of last season. He caught a mere nine passes for 55 yards in nine games with the Dolphins in 2024.
Giants star No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers missed most of last season with a torn ACL and meniscus, but he is on track to return Week 1. Darnell Mooney (also part of the Giants’ free agent class), Darius Slayton and third-round rookie Malachi Fields are roster locks, leaving Dalen Cambre, Jalin Hyatt and Isaiah Hodgins to vie for spots at the bottom of the depth chart.
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