Is Curtis Samuel playing tonight vs the New York Giants?

Curtis Samuel's Washington Football Team face the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football in what will be the first divisional game of the NFC East in the 2021 NFL season.

However, the 25-year-old, second-round pick will not make his debut with his new team in Week 2 of NFL action.

The wide receiver signed a three-year, $34.5 million deal with the WFT on March 18 earlier this year. Since then, the team has placed Samuel on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list due to a groin injury. He was then put on the COVID-19 reserve list. Days later, he was back on the PUP list, but he now finds himself on the injured reserve list.

Ron Rivera gives clarity on Curtis Sameul's availability for Week 2

Before the Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, there was an expectation that Samuel would take the field. But in a practice session on September 8, after warming up and running individual routes, the WR felt the groin injury again. Two days later, the WFT put Samuel on the IR list.

HC Ron Rivera explained Samuel's situation to reporters by saying:

"We just want to take that concern and worry off his shoulders for a little bit."

Officially, after receiving the IR designation, Samuel can only be back after Week 3; this means he is only eligible to return to practice before Week 4's game against the Atlanta Falcons. The latest Samuel can be back in a Washington uniform is the practice week leading to their Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Asked when the team planned to have Samuel back in WFT'S uniform, Rivera told reporters:

"We want to create this opportunity and take advantage of it to really let him focus on getting healthy before he has to start worrying about playing."

According to NFL rules, if Samuel is not back in practice 21 days after his first eligible practice week, the WR will lose the rest of the season on the IR list.

Curtis Samuel's numbers so far

• Games played: 53
• Games started: 32
• Targeted: 293
• Catches: 185
• Receiving yards: 2087
• Receiving yards: 2087
• TDs: 14
• Rushing attempts: 72
• Rushing yards: 478
• Rushing average: 6.6
• TDs: 5
• Fumbles: 2 (zero lost).

A Ron Rivera favourite—the HC drafted him in 2017 while coaching the Carolina Panthers and pressed to give Samuel a $34.5 million deal to bring him to Washington—the WR spent most of his career playing as an option for an offense that, since 2017, has relied heavily on running back Christian McCaffrey.

His numbers are not the flashiest, but McCaffrey carrying the workload and playing three years with an aging Cam Newton and then an average Tyrod Taylor under center did not help Samuel's talents take center stage.

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Also Check Out: Complete NFL Week 2 TV Schedule