The Giants might get an early look at how the starting offense will function without wide receiver Golden Tate during his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy to begin the 2019 regular season.
Tate suffered a head injury during Friday night’s exhibition win over the Chicago Bears at MetLife Stadium, on Sunday head coach Pat Shurmur revealed that Tate is in the concussion protocol.
Until the week leading up to the regular season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Tate is allowed to work out, practice with and be in meetings with the team. However, now Tate must pass the various tests required by the NFL while in the protocol before he’s able to return to the field.
Despite the fact that he will be unavailable for the Giants’ games against the Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings, Tate had been running almost exclusively with the first-team offense during training camp. Tate also started the first two games of the preseason against the Jets and Bears, catching two passes for 19 years.
Without Tate in the lineup, and with Sterling Shepard still sidelined with a fractured thumb, the Giants will likely give extended snaps to Bennie Fowler, Alonzo Russell and T.J. Jones against the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots to close out the preseason.
Tate lost his appeal of his suspension, despite claiming that he tested positive for the drug after it was prescribed during the course of fertility treatments.
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoNFL