Defensive tackle Chris Canty shook his head when he thought about sitting out another game, especially this game.
“That was kind of a bummer that this one’s not a week later,’’ he said yesterday.
Canty is on the Physically Unable to Perform list and therefore must miss at least the first six games of the season, with game No. 6 coming Sunday against the 49ers in San Francisco. Canty won’t have to watch his teammates much longer, though, as he’s eligible to start practicing next week and he says his surgically repaired knee is feeling great.
“Absolutely,’’ said Canty when asked if he thought he’d be ready to play the following week against the Redskins. “At the start of the season my knee was significantly better than it was at the end of the regular season and the playoffs. Now it’s even better than that. I’m excited about it, I feel like physically I’m in great condition.’’
Canty said he’s lost between 10 to 15 pounds and “I’m excited to see what I can do out there.’’
* RB Andre Brown suffered a concussion returning a kickoff early in the first quarter against the Browns Sunday. That’s the third concussion the Giants have had in the first five games. WR Ramses Barden missed the Browns game with a concussion, but he was singing in the locker room and has been cleared to return.
“You just hope that these things don’t happen,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said of the concussions. “The equipment is as good as it can be, but you have big, strong, fast people running into each other.’’
Coughlin said he did not know if WR Hakeem Nicks (foot/knee) will return to practice this week. “Let’s take it one day at a time here,’’ Coughlin said. “Let’s see how it works out.’’
DT Rocky Bernard said his injured quad is “feeling good, getting better, hopefully be able to play this week.’’ Rookie Markus Kuhn started in his place against the Browns.
* Former Giants RB Brandon Jacobs hasn’t been in a game yet for the 49ers because of a knee injury and, despite practicing last week, it doesn’t appear he’s going to be able to make his 2012 debut this weekend. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh said Jacobs is “still not quite there yet.’’
* Former Rutgers FB Joe Martinek will be signed to the practice squad. … As Ahmad goes, so go the Giants, who are 9-0 when Ahmad Bradshaw runs for 100 or more yards in a game. … Eli Manning has thrown for 200 or more yards in 24 consecutive games. That’s the second-longest streak in NFL history behind Hall of Famer Dan Fouts’ 45 in a row from 1980-83.