The Giants’ depth chart took a sudden hit Friday when Gunner Olszewski was carted off the field after a non-contact injury during practice, with the team worried he tore his Achilles. The 29-year-old appeared to grab at his right lower leg after running a route, then showed immediate frustration before leaving the field.
The injury matters now because Olszewski is one of the Giants’ most versatile depth pieces, a receiver and special teamer whose value has been built on speed and reliability. He returned from a concussion only three weeks after a Week 13 loss to the Patriots last season, then finished the year with eight catches for 102 yards in a Week 18 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Any Achilles injury would threaten much more than a short absence.
New York’s concern is especially sharp because Olszewski had already worked through a long injury history. A groin injury ended his 2024 season as soon as it began, and his role last year stretched beyond returns: he had 273 yards and a touchdown on 23 punt returns, added a career-high 145 receiving yards and even threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Jameis Winston.
That background is part of why Friday’s scene landed so hard. Olszewski came to the Giants after being released during the 2023 season, following earlier stops with New England, where the Patriots signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State in 2019, and Pittsburgh, where he signed a two-year deal after leaving the Patriots. He broke through as an All-Pro special teamer in 2020, when he returned 18 kickoffs for 418 yards and 20 punts for 346 yards and a touchdown, and played 16 games with New England the following season.
The next step is medical, not tactical. Olszewski will undergo further testing to verify whether the Giants’ worst fear is correct, and the result will determine whether they are dealing with a brief setback or the kind of injury that can reshape a season’s roster plans in one snap.
