Kayvon Thibodeaux suffers MCL sprain, leaving Week 1 return still in play for Giants' top rookie

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Kayvon Thibodeaux and the New York Giants can exhale.

The results are in from further evaluation of the injury suffered by Thibodeaux in Sunday night's preseason game, and tests revealed he has a sprained MCL in his right knee, the team announced.

And confirming optimism after the Giants' 25-22 victory over the Bengals, Thibodeaux's ACL is intact and there is no meniscus damage. The early timetable for recovery could put the Giants' rookie on track to make it back for Week 1 and the Sept. 11 opener against the Titans in Tennessee.

The Giants confirmed the diagnosis for Thibodeaux shortly before coach Brian Daboll's video conference call, which was previously scheduled. Recovery timetables are different for all players, of course, but Thibodeaux and Giants will set their sights on the Titans with no plan to rush him back, obviously, if it takes longer than that.

"Fingers crossed," Daboll said. "Hopefully his rehab goes well."

The Giants were not as fortunate with the news regarding rookie inside linebacker Darrian Beavers, who tore his ACL on Sunday night. Beavers has been logging significant reps and carving out a role in Wink Martindale's defense, taking the spot of Blake Martinez, who continues to work back from an ACL suffered late September of last season.

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Martinez started against the Bengals and played in a game for the first time since the injury. He was on the field for eight snaps, and Daboll indicated that Martinez came through the game well physically.

A nightmare of a scene for the Giants unfolded in the second quarter of their preseason game when the No. 5 overall draft pick crumpled to the ground, and he was quickly surrounded by the team's training staff.

The cart came out for Thibodeaux, but he shrugged off the ride, instead walking to the blue medical tent behind the Giants' sideline where he was further examined.

Thibodeaux was ruled out of the game officially by the Giants with a knee injury, but he appeared to be joking with teammates on the sideline before heading into the locker room. There was optimism from the Giants after the initial exam that Thibodeaux did avoid a significant knee injury, and that ruling the outside linebacker out for the night was not necessarily a reflection on the severity of the injury.

This was not a non-contact injury, which was the initial fear when he grabbed at his knee. Replays showed Bengals tight end Thad Moss - son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy - dived at Thibodeaux's right knee in an apparent attempt at a cut block, which is a legal play under the circumstances, even if it looked unnecessary.

Thibodeaux left the stadium without a noticeable limp or needing any assistance, and his message to assembled reporters in the hallway outside the locker room was a positive one: “I’m good. I’ll be back. We good. Good news. All good news and good wishes.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Kayvon Thibodeaux knee injury: MCL sprain leaves Week 1 still in play