$1.5 million guaranteed brought Calvin Austin III to the New York Giants this offseason, a one-year deal built to pay out as much as $4.5 million with incentives, $3 million of which now sits in serious doubt. During a 1-on-1 drill with cornerback Deonte Banks at training camp, Austin's right knee buckled. He crumpled to the ground. Trainers rushed over, and Austin was carted off the field with what appeared to be a serious right knee injury.
The scene stopped the full practice session. Wide receivers and defensive backs in the drill could not bring themselves to watch as trainers worked. The group gathered in a prayer circle. Giants owner John Mara made his way over to the cart to see Austin, according to multiple reports, and the entire team halted to acknowledge him as he was carted away.
The player the Giants were counting on
Austin, 27, arrived from the Pittsburgh Steelers to fill the slot role Wan'Dale Robinson vacated when Robinson signed with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason. A fourth-round pick out of Memphis in the 2022 NFL Draft, Austin spent three seasons in Pittsburgh and appeared in 48 of a possible 51 games, missing only three.
| G | Rec | Yards | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career (PIT, 2022-24) | 48 | 84 | 1,100 | 8 |
| 2024 season | 14 | 31 | 372 | 3 |
The ratio: 13.1 yards per catch across his career, 12.0 in his final season with Pittsburgh. He also returned punts, averaging 8.9 yards per return and taking one back for a touchdown in 2024. He had delivered a strong training camp and preseason with New York and appeared headed for a meaningful share of the offense's slot targets.
Beckham's path to the roster
Should Austin miss significant time, the clearest opening belongs to Odell Beckham Jr., who re-signed with the Giants in June and has been on the roster bubble throughout the preseason. Beckham could fill the slot Austin was brought to occupy and carve out a real role in the offense, a position he was already competing for before Austin's injury pushed the math in his favor.