The Giants’ wide receiver core suffered a big blow on Tuesday. During a one-on-one drill against Deonte Banks, Calvin Austin’s knee buckled and he went down groaning in pain. The practice came to a halt, and Austin was eventually carted off the field. As soon as he went down, we knew that this was a serious injury. But that thought was confirmed Wednesday morning when it was announced Austin had torn his ACL and would miss the entire 2026 season. This is a major blow as Austin was seen as a key piece to the receiving core heading into the season. But how can they replace his production?
How Will the Giants Replace Calvin Austin
When the Giants inked Austin to a one-year deal this offseason, fans felt they had found their slot receiver to replace Wan’Dale Robinson. In 14 games last season, he had 31 catches on 55 targets for 372 yards and three touchdowns. While these numbers do not jump off the page, Austin’s speed does. Many felt he could run post, corner, and go routes, using his speed to burn receivers and make big plays. We saw a little of this in their preseason game against the Dolphins.
Now there is a glaring hole in the slot and third receiving role. They need one of their other veterans to step up and fill that role. The most likely candidate is fellow offseason acquisition Darnell Mooney. Last season, he lined up in the slot on 27.1% of the routes he ran. He also can take on the big-play role, as he had an average yard per target of 14.2 yards and 18 targets that were considered deep. He may not have the speed of Austin, but he should be able to get open deep and get chunk yardage plays.
Another potential slot option is to have it be a revolving door. This open spot can allow the Giants to get creative with who they put out on the field. There are four receivers who are fighting for those three starting spots. Having this open role allows all three of them to get usage. If the Giants want to get Malachi Fields more involved, move Malik Nabers to slot. If they want to get Mooney usage on the outside, move Darius Slayton to the inside. The possibilities are endless, and it is a system that will keep opposing defenses guessing.
This also makes it all but a lock that Odell Beckham Jr will make the 53-man roster. Although he had been trending in a positive direction the past few weeks, he was still on the roster bubble. There were five receivers ahead of him on the depth chart, and with Braxton Berrios set to be the kick returner, he could have been cut if they only wanted six receivers on the roster. But with Austin out and his play in the preseason, he is likely now the wide receiver five. He should be the guy the Giants look at to provide depth to their receiving core.
Although Austin is a big loss, the Giants have the pieces to replace him. It will be up to Matt Nagy and the rest of the offensive coaching staff to figure out what is best for the offense.
