After being forced out of the Giants’ Week 2 win over the Buccaneers and missing their Week 3 triumph over the Panthers with a sprained neck, Ahmad Bradshaw was cleared yesterday to return to practice.
Bradshaw was at the Hospital for Special Surgery yesterday morning, and in the afternoon, the ailing running back tweeted: “Great news! Thanks everyone for [your] thoughts and prayers. But [you don’t] understand, I’m Ready to rock.”
The Giants don’t practice today, but will be back on the field tomorrow, so Bradshaw could conceivably return to action then. The question will be whether he can practice sufficiently this week to play on Sunday night against the Eagles.
The Giants have gotten welcome work from Bradshaw’s replacement, Andre Brown, who has rushed 33 times for 184 yards (a 5.6 average) and three touchdowns in the last two games. Since the Giants regularly use two running backs, they can conceivably mix Bradshaw and Brown together once Bradshaw returns.
* Safety Antrel Rolle (knee laceration/contusion) and right tackle David Diehl (knee) were not at practice yesterday.
Coach Tom Coughlin said Rolle is slated to practice tomorrow. As for Diehl, Coughlin said, “I hope we can see some progress and maybe have him this week.”
The Giants’ cornerbacks are still hurting. Both Jayron Hosley and Michael Coe are dealing with hamstring issues and did not practice. Hosley said he was “a lot better” and as of now is expecting to play Sunday. If he does, he’ll face fellow Virginia Tech alumnus Michael Vick.
“Before I even knew what Virginia Tech was, I watched him,” Hosley said. “He was a hell of a player at Virginia Tech. He’s a hell of a player in the NFL. … It would be a pleasure to play against him and get that experience.”
Said Coe of his hamstring: “It’s coming along. Slowly but surely.”
Fellow cornerback Corey Webster (broken right hand) was on the field for drills during the practice portion that the media was allowed to watch. Sporting a black cast, Webster caught passes one-handed.
* Justin Tuck was asked if he’s surprised Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has been able to handle being hit the way he has been.
“Yeah. I am,” Tuck said. “Because he’s not that big of a guy. But he’s a tough one. He keeps getting up and making plays. Hopefully we can have the success that other teams have had against him as far as getting him on the ground.”