NFL

Giants line shuffle has Boothe starting at center

Starting center David Baas’ knee injury has forced the Giants to reshuffle and revamp their offensive line. And the lineup they’ve come up with appears to have veteran guard Keith Boothe moving inside to center, David Diehl sliding inside to guard and rookie Justin Pugh getting the nod at right tackle.

“Revamped? [We’ll] try to get ourselves ready to play, yes,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said. “It’s the best way for us to play right now.

“We, fortunately, have some guys that can play in a lot of different spots and David Diehl has played in a lot of spots in the course of his career, and he’ll go inside there and do a fine job. We’re trying to get a group on the field now that can work together, hopefully to prepare for the regular season.’’

Baas sprained his left MCL on the opening drive of Sunday’s preseason loss to the Colts. He’s on crutches and considered week-to-week.

“I was frustrated the other day and I’m over it. I know I can bounce back from this the way I have everything else,’’ said Baas, who felt a return for the season-opener in Dallas was realistic and even likely. “I think it is, and that’s what I expect to … It’s kind of one of those annoying things I have to let heal.’’

Diehl — who practiced with a cast on his right hand due to a thumb injury suffered Sunday — shifts from right tackle to left guard. Right guard Chris Snee and left tackle Will Beatty won’t move, with Snee providing valuable guidance for Pugh.

“Obviously we have a lot of confidence in him or he wouldn’t be here picked where he was,” Coughlin said of Pugh. “Certainly he’s got plenty to work on, he’s a young kid. But hopefully you put him in there now and we bring Chris Snee along, and Chris is there to help him. It’s a good move. The more they can work together, the better off we’ll be.’’

“I’m willing to play any position, it doesn’t really matter to me where I’m at,” said Pugh, who missed 10 days of practice and the preseason opener with a concussion. “Right tackle, left tackle, guard … I just wanted to get an opportunity to play, definitely love the opportunity to go out there and compete.”

* In the middle linebacker battle, Dan Connor worked with the first unit, with Mark Herzlich on the second. … Defensive end Adrian Tracy was carted off near the end of practice, with Coughlin saying he’d started to “move toward dehydration.’’

* Defensive end Justin Tuck, who pulled his hamstring Sunday, practiced. Antrel Rolle (ankle), Corey Webster (soreness), Victor Cruz (heel), Ramses Barden (knee), Louis Murphy (leg), Baas (knee), Damontre Moore (shoulder) and Da’Rel Scott (shoulder) did not. … Wide receiver Keith Carlos and offensive lineman Chris DeGeare were waived/injured.