Watch CBS News

Giants Safety Bennett Jackson Out For Season With Torn ACL

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York Giants starting safety Bennett Jackson suffered a major knee injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars and will be lost for the season, the latest injury that has ravaged the team's most inexperienced position.

Free-agent safety Justin Currie broke his right ankle and fibula earlier in the game Saturday night covering a kickoff, and Jackson went down in the waning minutes of the 22-12 victory, playing because the team didn't have enough safeties.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Jackson tore his anterior cruciate ligament tackling a tight end in front of the Jaguars' bench. The second-year player had converted from cornerback this season and started the first two games.

The good news for the Giants was that starting middle linebacker Jon Beason does not consider his sprained left knee injury serious.

"It's minor, nothing too concerning in my book," Beason said Sunday.

Beason hopes to be ready for the regular-season opener in Dallas in three weeks. But Coughlin cautioned that "sometimes in these cases, it is longer than you think."

"I totally believe that I can and I have my mind made up," Beason said. "I'll do everything I can humanly possible to make sure that happens. And I don't want just straight on Sunday. I want to get back in time for preparation for that game."

Beason was hurt when he landed awkwardly breaking up a pass in the end zone in the first quarter. He finished the series but felt some instability in his knee.

The safety position is a bigger concern.

Rookie Mykkele Thompson was lost last week when he sustained an Achilles tendon injury in the preseason game against Cincinnati. Second-round draft pick Landon Collins sprained a knee in that game, and Cooper Taylor (toe) and Nat Berhe (calf) were out with injuries sustained in practice.

Coughlin hopes Collins, Taylor and Berhe can return this week.

New York signed veteran Brandon Meriweather last week. The other safeties on the roster are veterans Jeromy Miles and Josh Gordy and free agent rookie Justin Halley.

"Hopefully these injuries slow down," Beason said. "They have been coming fast and furious for us the past couple of few weeks."

Jameel McClain, who led the Giants in tackles last season, will move into Beason's spot.

Beason, who was limited to four games last season by a foot injury, said he has just started feeling comfortable in the new system being installed by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The eight-year veteran said the injury was a setback but he knows how to get ready to play without practicing.

The Giants are limited at middle linebacker. Veteran Mark Herzlich sustained a concussion in Saturday's game.

Receivers Victor Cruz (calf) and Rueben Randle (knee tendinitis) did not play on Saturday and Coughlin did not know whether they would practice this week for Saturday's game against the Jets.

"The thing with Rueben has confused me," Coughlin said. "He has been able to handle this so well over the years and yet this circumstance has been bothersome."

Offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who missed most of last season with toe and ankle injuries, made his preseason debut, playing right guard and tackle. Coughlin said he played better at guard.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.