Giants defensive rookie the NFL forgot to draft suffers brutal setback, and it’s something he simply can’t control
Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suffered a torn Achilles during workouts on Wednesday. It’s unclear if he’ll be able to play as a rookie.
The New York Giants were able to get a great value signing North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon as an undrafted free agent. But they won’t realize that potential any time soon after a tough break. On Wednesday, Dixon tore his ACL during workouts, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Injury timeline
Recovery projections for Achilles injuries tend to go from six to nine months, so there’s still a viable scenario where Dixon gets back on the field late in his rookie season. But this is a tough injury because it usually takes more time for the player to fully get his normal athleticism back.
For an undrafted rookie only trying to establish himself in the NFL, that’s even more brutal.
Intriguing prospect
Thaddeus Dixon is a 6-0, 195-pound cornerback. He played his first two college seasons at Washington, but head coach Bill Belichick recruited him to North Carolina. In his lonely season under Belichick, the legendary coach and former Giants defensive coordinator, Dixon had five pass breakups and five stops. Dixon actually regressed from his previous season, the final one at Washington, when he allowed a 66.5 passer rating when targeted.
Multiple draft analysts projected Dixon as a fifth/sixth-round prospect. In a relatively weak draft class, that was a great way of generating real value for the Giants.
At least, the Giants have a strong situation at cornerback, a stacked position on the Giants’ roster. The team invested heavily in it via free agency over the past two years, adding Paulson Adebo and Greg Newsome. The Giants also took Colton Hood with the 37th overall pick.
Dillon would always face a tough battle to make the 53-man roster. Now, he’s likely to start the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list — or maybe even on the injured reserve, which would end his rookie year if he’s immediately placed there during the offseason.