Brian Daboll got a text at 4:08 a.m. Monday morning from Cam Skattebo, the Giants’ electrifying rookie running back who is trying to stay upbeat despite now being out for the season.
“They’re good, as good as can be through a text,” Daboll said when asked about Skattebo’s spirits. “But you feel for your players when they go down like that.”
Skattebo dislocated his ankle during the second quarter of the Giants’ 38-20 loss to the Eagles on Sunday, then was carted off the field and transported to a Philadelphia hospital for an emergency surgery because the dislocation resulted in an open wound.
Speaking with reporters early afternoon Monday, Daboll said Skattebo was possibly set to leave the hospital later in the day.
“All went well, he’s recovering,” Daboll said. “Obviously he’ll be missed, but (he’s) on the road to recovery.”
Skattebo, a fourth-round draft pick from Arizona State this year, will be tough to replace because he leads the Giants in rushing yards (410) and is fourth in receiving yards (207). Coming into Sunday’s game, he had accounted for 22.9 percent of the Giants’ scrimmage yards.
Beyond the on-field production, Skattebo’s personality and back-flipping, among other theatrics, had injected life into the Giants after years of fielding a largely noncompetitive offense.
“It was really hard to see,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said. “A guy young that was having a heck of a year, somebody who is a unifying personality, an energetic personality. I’m certainly sad to see him go down.”
Second-year running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. picked up most of the carries after Skattebo left the game. He finished with 10 carries for 39 yards and is averaging 3.5 yards per carry on the season, but he rushed for 839 yards (4.4 per carry) as a rookie.
With the NFL trade deadline just over a week away — Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. — there will be much chatter about the Giants possibly trading for another play-making wide receiver to account for all the injuries surrounding rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Star receiver Malik Nabers is also lost for the season because of a torn ACL, and Slayton just returned after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
After Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, the next two receivers on the depth chart are Lil’Jordan Humphrey (825 yards in seven seasons) and Beaux Collins (undrafted rookie). Disappointing former third-round pick Jalin Hyatt was inactive on Sunday, despite being healthy.
Daboll said he has “open dialogue” with general manager Joe Schoen about the roster.
“But my focus is the guys that we have on our football team right now and trying to improve them the best way that we can,” Daboll said.
The Giants figure to keep trying to scheme receivers open with a heavy amount of 12 personnel (two tight ends) packages featuring Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger.
“With injuries, you’re going to have them and you have to figure out different ways to do different things,” Daboll said after the Eagles game. “That’s why we’ve been using some two tight end sets and things like that. Whoever we have, we’ll sit down and we’ll put a game plan together (that) we think gives us a chance. And the guys that are here, we trust.”
