Giants LB Olivier Vernon Carted Off with Ankle Injury During Practice

The New York Giants may be down one of their key defensive players after linebacker Olivier Vernon reportedly exited Sunday's practice with an ankle injury.

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Vernon was carted away from practice. Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said the linebacker is being checked for an ankle injury after he became tangled with blockers.

Vernon has been durable for much of his career and didn't miss a game during his first five seasons in the league with the Miami Dolphins and Giants. He appeared in just 12 contests last year, though, and could be in jeopardy of missing time this year with the regular season slated to start Sept. 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Miami product is one of the Giants' best pass-rushers and tallied 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2017. He has 44 sacks in his career and posted as many as 11.5 in a season when he was with the Dolphins.

New York can ill afford to be without that type of production moving forward, although Jordan Raanan of ESPN provided a glimmer of hope when he pointed out Vernon "didn't appear in serious pain."

Look for the Giants to rely even more on the combination of Kareem Martin, Lorenzo Carter and Connor Barwin at outside linebacker until Vernon is ready to return to the field.