The New York Giants have lost defensive tackles Shaun Rogers and Martin Parker for the season. Chris Canty is still not available. The team is bringing in new tackles by the truckload, having signed Carlton Powell, Oren Wilson and Bobby Skinner within the last 24 hours. A fourth new defensive tackle, former Denver Broncos lineman Marcus Thomas, was working out at the Timex Performance Center Thursday.
So, you can understand head coach Tom Coughlin's angst earlier this week when he was talking about defensive tackle Marvin Austin, who had to be sent to the Hospital For Special Surgery in Manhattan for tests on his back. "I’m praying that when the phone call comes, it’s a good one," Coughlin said on Tuesday.
Turns out that it was a good one. Austin said today that he had just been "having a little backache" and that tests show he should be OK.
Austin, however, won't practice Thursday and does not know if he will play Saturday at MetLife Stadium when the Giants face the New York Jets. He indicated his status is day-to-day.
"I don’t think it’s going to be something that lags on," he said.
Austin, drafted in the second round a season ago, missed 2011 with a torn pectoral muscle. After having been suspended from the team at North Carolina as a senior, he has not played in two year.
"Going out there, haven’t been out there for a while, my body is adapting to it. It could have had a little effect but I don’t think it was the primary cause," Austin said.