Justin Tryon: CB's Toughness Something Giants Have Been Missing All Season

Justin Tryon wasn't an impact signing for the New York Giants.

Adding a cornerback who was just cut by one of the league's worst teams in season will never be considered an impact signing.

And while Tryon only made eight tackles as a special teamer and sub-package defensive back for Big Blue, the Giants could stand to learn a thing or two from the former Indianapolis Colts player.

Tryon was put on the IR yesterday after breaking his arm and undergoing surgery. He is the seventh Giants defensive back to suffer a serious injury this year.

During the Giants' comeback win over the Miami Dolphins, Tryon, who had already played two-and-a-half quarters on a broken arm, broke it even worse when he tackled Reggie Bush on a Steve Weatherford punt.

According to an ESPN New York report, doctors told the cornerback about the injury after the game but he "didn't want to hear about it."

His arm looked like this (via X-ray posted on Twitter).

The report quotes Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.

"

"He said, ‘Well can I play again? Just put a cast on it, I’ll play again,’" Coughlin said, who was close by at the time. "That was something. To hear a young man talk like that about how badly he wanted to play. It was quite an inspiration for me to listen to that."

"

No doubt Coughlin is sick of hearing who can't and won't play.

The Giants have had no shortage of injuries this year. Unfortunately, those injuries include a number of their key players and leaders.

Defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, and running back Brandon Jacobs, have all had relatively "nagging" injuries that have cost them too many games this year.

It certainly shouldn't have come as a surprise when former Giants Antonio Pierce and Michael Strahan, two former captains and members of the Super Bowl team, called out their former teammates for not being on the field.

When you see a guy like Tryon, who is obviously fighting to save his job, put so much effort and desire to be on the field, it certainly makes you wonder what is going on in the Giants locker room.

And unfortunately this problem of leadership and toughness has been an issue since Strahan and Pierce retired.

I am not judging the severity of anyone's injury, but there comes a time when gutting it out to be on the field with players who rely on you becomes a priority.

Tryon certainly didn't do enough to merit a roster spot come next season, but you can rest assured that Coughlin wouldn't think twice about giving that him another shot.

If only he could get his star players to feel the same way about being on the field, the Giants might actually have something on their hands this season.