Giants injury report, 10/9: TE Evan Engram will go “full speed” Tuesday

How many of the New York Giants’ injured players — specifically tight end Evan Engram, linebacker Olivier Vernon and placekicker Aldrick Rosas — will be available for Thursday night’s critical game against the Philadelphia Eagles? Coach Pat Shurmur had a unique answer for that one on Tuesday.

“You burn the ships on every game,” Shurmur said. Whoever can play plays, and then you reassess when the game is over.”

The most encouraging news might have been about Engram, out since suffering an MCL sprain Week 3 vs. the Houston Texans. Shurmur said the talented second-year tight end would practice “full speed” on Tuesday to see if he could be ready to go on Thursday.

Engram said today would be a “full test,” the “first full-speed day” for him since being injured.

“I have good confidence. I feel good, but today is going to be the full test for me mentally and physically,” he said.

As for Vernon, who has yet to play this season, Shurmur continued to say he was “hopeful” about the linebacker making his season debut vs. the Eagles. That’s the same thing we have heard the past two weeks, when Vernon practiced during the week before being ruled out of games.

“He’s fighting his way back. Make no mistake, OV is trying to get back,” Shurmur said. “We all understand what a high ankle sprain can mean. He’s doing everything in his power to get back on the field, and when he’s back we’re going to welcome him.”

As for Rosas, Shurmur again said he was “hopeful” the placekicker’s injured quad would be healthy enough for him to kick on Thursday.

The Giants added Marshall Koehn, who lost a preseason competition for the job with Rosas, to the practice squad just in case Rosas can’t kick Thursday. Shurmur said the team would wait “as late as we have to” in order to make a decision on whether they would need to active Koehn.