THIN BLUE LINE

Giants secondary hurting heading into big Monday matchup vs. Vikes

DESPITE JERRY Reese’s best efforts in the offseason, all of a sudden the Giants secondary is looking a little thin again.

Big Blue is heading into a critical Monday night matchup against perhaps the hottest team in football, the Minnesota Vikings, and is staring at the possibility of being without two of its top three cornerbacks.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and Eli Apple (hamstring) did not practice again on Friday and it looks unlikely they’ll be able to suit up for Monday’s contest.

“We’ll miss ’em,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said, seemingly indicating the two corners would be out. “Got to get somebody else to step up in there, hopefully they can get healthy quick.”

Ben McAdoo, for what it’s worth, didn’t sound quite as sure that the two cornerbacks would be out. But certainly the potential loss of two cornerbacks would be significant.

“Those two guys, along with Jackrabbit (Janoris Jenkins), really allowed us to do some things quite honestly you wouldn’t be able to do,” Spagnuolo said. “When you can trust and rely on guys on the edge there, that can get things done that you need to do in this league, it gives you a lot of versatility inside and makes everybody else better.”

With safeties Darian Thompson (foot) and Nat Berhe (concussion protocol) also likely out, backup CBs Leon Hall and Trevin Wade and backup S Andrew Adams will likely be thrust into significant action against a very good team. Big Blue has the No. 15-ranked pass defense so far this season — though that was with all of their top cornerbacks healthy.

One odd occurrence Friday was McAdoo’s refusal to admit that his team is a little banged up now — especially relative to how they were coming out of the preseason.

“We’re still healthy,” McAdoo said bluntly when asked about the string of injuries.

Objectively, that’s just not true. Not only are Rodgers-Cromartie, Apple and Thompson hurt, but so are RBs Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen, and T Marshall Newhouse. Some of those players may or may not play Sunday, but it’s hard to argue this team is healthy quite like it was a few weeks ago.

The main focus of the Giants’ bruised secondary on Monday will certainly be on Vikings’ star receiver Stefon Diggs.

“He’s going to be a guy we’re going to have to be concerned with,” Spagnuolo said. “(We) identify the guys who we think can wreck the football game. I think he can because he’s a deep threat.”

Apple highlighted Diggs’ route running as the most challenging aspect of the Vikings’ receiver’s game.

At safety, the Giants are down to just two healthy players at the position on the roster. It’s possible that Leon Hall could move to safety, but given the injury issues at cornerback, the second safety job on Sunday will likely go to Andrew Adams, an undrafted rookie from the University of Connecticut. In Adams’ debut on special teams against Washington last week, he made a serious error, committing an unnecessary roughness penalty that negated a blocked punt. Now, a week after that costly mistake in the Giants’ loss, Adams could be thrust into a starting role on defense.

“The only thing I said to Adam... just told him to flush last week,” McAdoo said. “Don’t let it linger. Just trust yourself, trust your training and be confident.”

Adams said he feels “great” heading into the big opportunity, and he got some advice from a relative that just might know what he’s talking about. Jets RB Matt Forte is Adams’ first cousin, and the safety said the two hung out on Tuesday.

Adams said Forte told him, “‘Just go out there and do what you know how to do.’”

FINE AND DANDY

Josh Norman received a hefty $48,620 fine for his unnecessary roughness against Sterling Shepard in last week’s 29-27 Washington win.

Weston Richburg was fined $12,154 for the unsportsmanlike conduct that got him ejected from the game, and Andrew Adams was fined $9,115 for his unnecessary roughness penalty.

DON’T RASH IT

Rashad Jennings (thumb) had a “nice” and “productive” day on Friday, when he practiced on a limited basis, according to McAdoo. The head coach said the team would rule on Jennings potentially as late as Monday. Jennings missed last week’s loss to Washington.