Ready or not? Can OL Will Beatty contribute vs. Cowboys?

How will the New York Giants use offensive lineman Will Beatty on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys? For that matter, can Beatty be ready for the Giants to use him at all?

Thursday is actually a day that might go a long way toward answering that question. The Giants will practice in full pads Thursday. For Beatty, signed just eight days ago, this will be his first work in pads.

“Every day is a big day. It’s like the first day in full pads is not the first day in full pads since camp. It’s me in full pads for the first time in over a year,” Beatty said. “Just to put them back on and just to get that feeling. I was out there in the last preseason game in full pads but I didn’t really get to hit anyone or use them. To break them in is going to be a good feeling.”

Beatty, of course, missed all of last season. He tore a pectoral muscle during OTAs, then suffered a shoulder injury while rehabbing. He tried to come back at midseason, but eventually shut it down for the year.

“The timing of the injuries was unfortunate that they kept me out during the season. Right now the injuries aren’t affecting me at all,” Beatty said. “I’ve been through seasons before where I’ve had injuries and was able to come back because the timing was right at the beginning of the season. We got all that past us now and we’re moving forward.”

Beatty, the Giants’ 2009 second-round pick, was released by the team during the offseason. He was brought back recently, reportedly with the idea that he could compete with Marshall Newhouse for the right tackle spot. He is certainly glad to be back.

“When I got cut, I was still injured. I knew that you can’t do anything with an injured left tackle. Both arms being worked on. It was like you have to get back and be healthy. You have to be out there on the field and prove yourself before anyone can actually use you,” Beatty said. “Just coming back here and coming back home is a great feeling. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to be here and to say I played eight seasons with the New York Giants. It’s just a great feeling, I know that it’s not given to me. It’s not automatic. It’s something that I’m going to have to work at and improve.”

Beatty, after spending most of his career at left tackle, doesn’t seem to care where or how the Giants use him.

“When I first came in I was left tackle, right tackle, I had a few starts at right before I learned a spot,” Beatty said. “I’m just out there having not done anything last year, haven’t put anything on tape. I’m just trying to get out there on the field. Any spot out there is a good spot. You’d rather be on the field than on the bench.”

Final thoughts

Understanding how badly many Giants fans want Newhouse benched, it would be unfair to expect Beatty — with one practice in pads and zero game snaps since 2014 — to be ready for full duty on Sunday.

Coach Ben McAdoo has not committed to a role for Beatty against Dallas, saying only that the veteran offensive lineman has “made some progress” in practice.

What seems logical is that the Giants, in desperate need of a blocking tight end with Will Johnson , Matt LaCosse and fullback Nikita Whitlock on IR, could use Beatty for a handful of snaps as a jumbo tight end. That night help the blocking in certain situations, and would help ease Beatty back into the flow of live action.