Giants disaster somehow deepens as Mike Glennon needs surgery, Jake Fromm likely to start again

It can get worse. It can always get worse.

Giants quarterback Jake Fromm is likely to make his second start in three weeks in Sunday’s Week 18 season finale against Washington at MetLife Stadium.

Mike Glennon, who has started four of the past five games, requires surgery on his non-throwing wrist, coach Joe Judge said on a conference call Monday.

So Fromm and practice squad QB Brian Lewerke are both expected to dress.

“It’s something that has to be handled probably sooner than later, but he’ll be unavailable to play this week,” Judge said.

Quarterbacks have played football with injuries to non-throwing hands before, but Glennon has earned the veteran exemption here. He’s 0-4 with four TD passes, 10 interceptions, and threw for 24 yards in Sunday’s 29-3 loss to the Chicago Bears.

His -10 net passing yards were the lowest since Ryan Leaf’s -19 in a game for the 1998 San Diego Chargers, per ESPN Stats & Info.

His 0.0 QBR, a metric kept by ESPN, would have been the worst since the stat was created in 2006 if he’d attempted more than 11 passes. The previous record, per ESPN’s Seth Walder, was 0.3 by Peyton Manning in 2015 against the Chiefs.

Glennon’s Pro Football Focus grade of 21.4 was even lower than Nathan Peterman’s 24.1 in his infamous five-interception game for the Bills, per PFF’s Mike Renner.

“It’s a shame, Mike got hurt in the game yesterday,” Judge said Monday. “He’s going to have surgery coming up soon and he won’t be available for the game this week. I know Mike wanted to go out there yesterday and compete and do everything he could for the team, and that’s the way his season will end.”

So Sunday could be all-time ugly — again.

Fromm made his first NFL start two weeks ago in Philadelphia and shoveled for 25 yards before getting benched in the third quarter for Glennon. Then Glennon threw for 24 yards in a full game in Chicago on Sunday.

How bad is Fromm? It sounds like Glennon stayed in the game injured on Sunday rather than the Giants turning to Fromm.

Taylor Heinicke is expected to start on Sunday for Washington (6-10), which is already eliminated from playoff contention, but Kyle Allen reportedly could play, too.

Judge said the Giants (4-12) “will work both” Fromm and Lewerke in practice this week.

“Right now, based on reps and games, Jake would have the nod,” Judge said. “I would anticipate getting him prepared that way, but like any other week we’ll get both guys ready and make sure they’re both prepared and ready to play.”

In reality, while Judge’s defense is playing hard and pretty well, the team’s decision to have Glennon and Fromm as their backup QBs down the stretch — playing behind this offensive line — has turned another down year into a sideshow.

There really is no harm in letting Lewerke play. He showed gumption in the preseason against Cleveland, and who wants to watch Fromm again?

“I think Brian’s done a really good job this year of working and doing everything we’ve asked him to do,” Judge said last Friday, when asked about possibly giving Lewerke his first-ever NFL regular season snaps. “I think he responded well in the preseason on short notice of prepping. He did some nice things for us in the Cleveland preseason game.

“He’s a guy that’s come out and competed. He’s learned. I’ve definitely seen some improvement from him. He’s a developing player,” Judge added. “I think he’s far away from where he’s going to be as a finalized player as he goes through his career. I think he’s on track to do some positive things and really put himself in a position in his career to be competitive and have a role on a roster.”

Lewerke has been Kenny Golladay’s personal quarterback during warmups this season. Now perhaps he could be throwing to him in a game that counts.

Judge seemed to pour cold water on that possibility last week when he added that “at this time, [Lewerke is] on our practice squad. As far as the roster moves we’re making right now, we don’t anticipate making one specifically at that position for the remainder of the year. That doesn’t rule out anything in the future with Brian as well, though. I’m pleased with the way he worked this year.”

Now Glennon is out and it looks like Lewerke will be in uniform, one step closer to playing.

Hey, why not? 26 passing yards would make him the best quarterback the Giants have put on the field in three weeks.