Dan Graziano, senior NFL national reporter 9y

Giants' Geoff Schwartz inching closer to return

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants guard Geoff Schwartz practiced with the team Thursday, but it doesn't sound as though he has a good chance of returning from his toe injury in time for Monday night's game against the Colts.

"He's coming off of a significant injury, so we'll see how he practices and we'll go from there," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Thursday morning before practice. "He hasn't practiced yet. He's going out there, he's going to go through individuals, and then we'll spoon-feed him in there on the scout side of the ball first."

Schwartz injured his toe late in the preseason and has so far spent the entire season on short-term injured reserve. Monday's would be the first game in which he's allowed to play by rule, but the Giants can wait as long as Nov. 17 to return him to the active roster if they believe he needs more time. That means he could still miss the next three games without counting against the 53-man roster, but after that time they'd have to decide whether to activate him or officially end his season.

At this point, Schwartz would have to suffer a major setback in order for that to happen, though. If not Monday, expect to see him make his Giants debut either Week 10 in Seattle or Week 11 at home against the 49ers. And while he and they don't know yet whether he'll play left guard or right guard upon his return, Schwartz says he'll be ready to go.

"I've been going to meetings, so as far as off the field, that hasn't really changed," Schwartz said. "On the field, maybe the verbal communication, just getting used to doing that again. Especially today, heading the cadence and getting off the ball, some little stuff like that. But it shouldn't be too bad. I'm not terribly worried about the communication part of it."

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