If any Giant knew Tim Carter’s pain, it was Jamaar Taylor.
When Carter suffered a season-ending hip injury Sunday, Taylor could sympathize – and empathize. A torn ACL had ended his senior season at Texas A&M, and caused a potential first-round talent to fall all the way to pick No. 168.
With Carter going on the IR yesterday, the Giants will be looking for somebody to replace his explosiveness and deep threat capability, and Taylor appears to be the man for the job. The speedy rookie hasn’t been activated yet this year, but could find himself as the third wideout a week from Sunday against Detroit.
“Unfortunately, in this business injuries happen. It’s unfortunate what happened to Tim, but somebody’s got to step up, and right now they’re looking at me to do that. God willing, I can get into the game and make a play,” said Taylor, who has 4.4 speed
“I have an opportunity. I don’t like the terms that it came upon, but you’ve got to go with it. That’s what players do: A guy goes down, players step up. I’m excited. I have an opportunity; I have to do the best with that opportunity.”
Taylor, born in Giessen, West Germany, caught 25 passes for 456 yards and four TDs in six games as a senior before tearing his left ACL. Six months later he ran a 4.7 40 for scouts to prove his knee stable, but lasted until the sixth round. Now the Giants are hoping they got a bargain.
“Jamaar has shown some flashes to be able to stretch the field in the preseason,” said WR coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’ll be one of the guys we have to rely on.”
He had four catches for 135 yards in the preseason finale, including a 58-yarder from Eli Manning and a 42-yard TD from Jesse Palmer before pulling his hamstring. And yesterday Tom Coughlin said Taylor not only made several tough grabs in practice, but should stretch the field the way Carter did.
“We’ve had a lot of high expectations for Jamaar. Hopefully he’ll be ready for the challenge,” Coughlin said. “Our scouting department did a very thorough job. They had a lot of good things to say about him. He was one of the better, more physical blocking receivers, has good speed and he’s competitive.”
*
CB William Peterson (soreness) and DT Fred Robbins (shoulder) sat out yesterday’s practice, although both should play next Sunday vs. Detroit.
LB Wes Mallard joined Carter on the I.R., LB T.J. Hollowell was signed to the active roster from the practice squad and RB Derrick Ward from the Jets’ practice squad, and WR Jason Geathers was signed to the practice squad.
Coughlin will know more Monday about the progress of G Rich Seubert (leg) and DE Lorenzo Bromell (knee), both on the PUP list. From when they begin practicing, the Giants will have three weeks to active them or put them on IR.
