There has been an Aaron Ross sighting. The missing-in-action cornerback hasn’t played at all this season because of lingering hamstring issues, but yesterday he finally was out on the practice field as he tries to make good on his promise to get in his first game, Nov. 22 against the Falcons.
“First time since Aug. 11 … I remember the date,” Ross said of returning to practice. “I felt good. A little rusty, but that’s expected. This is my livelihood, this is how I feed myself, my family. Not being able to be out there and do it is very hard. I’m just very, very, very excited that I’m finally back out there with the guys.”
There’s been speculation that once he returns the Giants might move either Ross or Terrell Thomas to safety, a position that has been a weak link in the secondary. Ross played “a very small amount” of safety in college at Texas and isn’t in favor of switching positions.
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LB Gerris Wilkinson, the leading special teams tackler, was placed on season-ending injured reserve following surgery to repair a dislocated right wrist. To take his place on the roster, the Giants signed cornerback D.J. Johnson off the Broncos practice squad. Johnson is a 6-foot-1, 191-pound rookie out of Jackson State who was not drafted. He’s the fifth Giants player with the last name Johnson — joining Michael, Darcy, Gartrell and Bruce.
P Jeff Feagles said he did mishandle the hold on the botched field goal attempt in the first quarter vs. the Chargers. “I caught it and when I went to put it down it slipped out of my hand, and by the time I got it down on the ground, Lawrence [Tynes] saw the ball at an angle and didn’t think I was going to get it back up,” Feagles said. “By the time I got it back up could he have kicked it? Maybe. Those kind of plays always come back to haunt you in a close game. You just feel sick about it.”