GIANTS PRACTICE NOTES
*Safety Tyler Sash said his ankle locked up in practice yesterday because of bone spurs in the joint.
"I basically had the same thing in college," said Sash, who was in a walking boot this afternoon. "It has some bone spurs, and it locked up on me. I don't really understand it as far as if there's cartilage, or if it gets in the joint, then it can cause it to lock up. I had it once in college and I played three or four days later so I'm trying to play on Wednesday (in the preseason finale vs. New England). It's just something I have to work through, and I just need to loosen it back up."
Tom Coughlin seemed pessimistic about Sash playing vs. the Patriots.
"His ankle's not going to let him go evidently," Coughlin said. "Tomorrow's a new day though."
*Sash had a 4 p.m. meeting scheduled at NFL headquarters in Manhattan with Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his suspension for the first four games of the regular season. Sash was suspended by the NFL last month for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The player admitted he used Adderall, which is not banned by the league. Sash said he used the medication to curb anxiety.
Giants running back Andre Brown was also suspended for using Adderall, but the ruling was reversed following an appeal.
"I just want more of an explanation," Sash said. "There's been some cases that I know of that people have gotten off with the same exact thing as me. So I just want to know why mine is different than some other people."
*Tackle Will Beatty, who has missed most of training camp and the first three preseason games with back issues, returned to practice today.
"It's just day-by-day," Coughlin said. "We'll see how he did, and how he feels later on today and tomorrow."
*Coughlin said as of today the first-team offense and defense will start the game vs. New England, but, "That could change."
*Several players traveled to the Hospital for Special Surgery, including defensive end Justin Tuck, who had his shoulder examined.
"It's just a precautionary test to see exactly where he's at, and what needs to be done, so he's ready to go for the season," Coughlin said.
*Coughlin was asked whether the players who missed practice – including defensive ends Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora – will return for the opener.
"You can't lump them all together," Coughlin said. "You've got to take them one at a time and try to assess where they all are. Do I expect the three ends back? Yeah, I do. Do I expect (defensive tackle) Marvin Austin? I don't know about that one. Every day, I want to know more and more about that and it starts going one way and then there's a little issue."
*Running back Ahmad Bradshaw said his bruised right hand is fine and he expects to play the opener against Dallas with no special padding.
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