The New York Giants suffered a big blow to their defense on Wednesday, as safety Xavier McKinney and linebacker David Mayo will undergo surgery, the team announced.
McKinney suffered a fracture to his left foot, while Mayo tore his left meniscus.
The rookie defensive back may not miss the entire 2020 campaign, as his recovery time is likely around 10 weeks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Meanwhile, the linebacker will undergo a meniscus trim rather than a full repair, per Rapoport. The procedure could see him back on the field in about three weeks.
McKinney was competing for the starting free safety spot with sophomore Julian Love opposite Jabrill Peppers. He was a highly touted defensive prospect out of Alabama that New York selected 36th overall this past April.
Meanwhile, Mayo was locked in next to Blake Martinez at inside linebacker. He signed a three-year contract extension with the Giants in March after starting 13 of 16 games a year ago, amassing 80 tackles and two sacks.
Second-year defender Ryan Connelly could be seen as the favorite to replace Mayo should Mayo miss regular-season action. Connelly started three games as a rookie last season before tearing his ACL in September.
