The Giants are coming off a bye week and they could be getting a pair of defensive players back from injured reserve in the near future.
The team announced that safety Xavier McKinney and linebacker Oshane Ximines have been designated for return from injured reserve. They can be added to the active roster at any point in the next 21 games, but will not be eligible to play if they are not activated in that window.
McKinney was a second-round pick in April and fractured his foot over the summer, so he has yet to play a snap in the NFL. Ximines went on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder in Week 4. He had five tackles, three quarterback hits, and a tackle for loss before getting hurt.
The Giants also announced that punter Riley Dixon and long snapper Casey Kreiter have been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Kicker Graham Gano, tight end Kaden Smith, rookie tackle Matt Peart, and wide receiver Dante Pettis remain on the list.
