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Dan Graziano, senior NFL national reporter 10y

Jon Beason may visit foot specialist

NFL, New York Giants

The New York Giants placed two players on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday. If there's good news, it's that starting middle linebacker Jon Beason wasn't one of them.

The Giants announced that Beason "did not suffer a new injury" in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, "but aggravated his previous foot injury. Beason may visit foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. later this week. Anderson examined Beason's foot when he suffered the original injury in June."

That's a bit of an odd announcement on Beason -- that he "may" visit a specialist regarding the aggravation of the foot injury that cost him all of training camp. And it certainly leaves open the possibility of significant bad news to come on Beason later. Obviously, it would be a surprise if he were able to play Sunday against Houston (or four days later against Washington), but at this point there remains at least some slim hope for a 2014 Beason return.

Not so for cornerback Walter Thurmond and wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, who were placed on season-ending injured reserve with chest and foot injuries, respectively. Thurmond was scheduled for surgery Tuesday to repair a torn pectoral muscle. The Giants said Jernigan would not need surgery for his mid-foot sprain, but his season is over.

Thurmond signed a one-year, $3 million contract this offseason to be the Giants' nickel cornerback, and likely will be replaced by Trumaine McBride. Jernigan had been effectively a starting wide receiver -- playing on the outside in the Giants' preferred three-wide receiver sets with Rueben Randle on the other side and Victor Cruz in the slot. Jernigan has been taking the position slated for rookie first-round pick Odell Beckham, who has yet to play or even really practice due to a hamstring injury.

With Beckham likely still a ways away from playing, Preston Parker, Corey Washington and Julian Talley are the candidates to take Jernigan's snaps in the short term. Since he hasn't practiced with the team since the first day of training camp July 22, Beckham is unlikely to play this week or next. The Giants play a Thursday night game in Week 4.

Talley and linebacker Dan Fox were promoted from the practice squad to fill the roster spots left vacant by Jernigan and Thurmond. The Giants are deep at cornerback and promoted Fox because they're short at linebacker with Beason and also rookie Devon Kennard (hamstring) out with injuries.

To fill the open spots on the practice squad, the Giants signed wide receivers Travis Harvey and L'Danian Washington.

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