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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –** Jason Pierre-Paul will have a sharply increased workload this week, and the defensive end could make his 2015 debut Sunday, when the Giants visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"Practice, he's going to practice," coach Tom Coughlin said this morning. "He'll practice today, he'll practice tomorrow. He'll get a good amount of reps and we'll take it from there.

"He'll be with our defense, he'll also get some scout team reps."

Pierre-Paul first practiced a week ago, after signing his contract last Tuesday. The two-time Pro Bowler has not appeared in a game this season, instead spending his time working out while recovering from his Fourth of July fireworks accident. If he proves in practice he's ready play, the Giants will give him a uniform for the game at Tampa Bay.

The Giants have an NFL-low nine sacks, and had none in their loss last week at New Orleans. But Coughlin said the help needed on the defensive front will not determine whether Pierre-Paul suits up on Sunday.

"It has to do with him and whether he's ready or not," Coughlin said. "If he's ready, we'll play him. If he's not ready, then we'll take more time."

Coughlin said he is not surprised JPP has put himself on the precipice of game action so soon after his arrival.

"He's in outstanding physical condition, we knew that," Coughlin said. "We tried that right away. We had him in pads on Saturday morning, we had him in pads on Monday, so we're feeling good about accelerating him along. There's nothing unusual about it when a guy who is in his position is in the condition that he's in and prepares himself to play. That's what he's done."

Is the most significant impediment to his potential return Pierre-Pauls' conditioning or his damaged hand?

"I think it's probably both," Coughlin said. "All that's been told to me and all the preparation has gone on to make sure he has a glove that helps him in that regard."

•  Tight end Larry Donnell, who left the Saints game with a neck injury, won't practice today. "(He's) week-to-week, I'm sure. Day-to-day, week-to-week, I don't know."

Without Donnell, rookie free agent Will Tye is the only tight end on the roster.  Tight ends Jerome Cunningham and Matt LaCosse are on the practice squad.

•  Cornerback Prince Amukamara, who has missed three games with a partially-torn pectoral muscle, will return to practice on a limited basis.

"Prince is going to work," Coughlin said, "but he's going to work individual and then have a couple of snaps as a scout team corner just to get his footwork going again."

A decision on Amukamara's availability for the game will be made later in the week.

"He wouldn't be cleared to play if he couldn't handle it," Coughlin said. "He may have to wear some kind of strap or something."

•  Linebackers Jon Beason (knee/ankle) and J.T. Thomas (ankle), wide receiver Rueben Randle (hamstring), guard Geoff Schwartz (ankle), safety Craig Dahl (neck) and wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf) will not practice. Regarding Randle, Coughlin said, "We feel like he'll move along."

Coughlin said he does not have a timetable for the return of Cruz, who has yet to play this season.

•  Tackle Will Beatty will continue to increase his workload. He is on the physically unable to perform list (due to an offseason pectoral injury), and the Giants must decide next week whether or not to activate him.

"He's going to work this week, and then the decision is forthcoming," Coughlin said.