EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants starting left tackle Will Beatty is going to be sidelined up to six months after tearing a pectoral muscle, a person with knowledge of the injury told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team plans to not discuss the injury until Thursday.
The source said Beatty was injured lifting weights on Tuesday. He was expected to have surgery on Wednesday. The source said the recovery time frame is 4 to 6 months.
Dr. Bradford Parsons, chief of shoulder surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said the surgery will repair the tear but the player has to regain the flexibility in his shoulder and get strength back in the muscle.
"The bottom line is, the repair gives him a chance of getting his strength back, and if he gets his strength back, then he should be able to get back in action," Parsons said.
If Beatty were sidelined six months, he would miss the Giants' first 10 regular-season games, through the Patriots game on Nov. 15. The team has a bye the following week and resumes play on Nov. 29 against the Redskins.
Beatty, who is scheduled to make $5.5 million this season under a contract that runs through 2017, has started at left tackle for the Giants since the 2011 season. He started all 16 games last season despite sustaining a broken leg late in the 2013 season.
The Giants have depth at tackle. They drafted Ereck Flowers of Miami in the first round and have right tackle Justin Pugh returning. Geoff Schwartz also can play tackle. The team had trouble running the ball last season and it was hoped that Flowers might be able to play right tackle so Pugh could move inside to guard. With the injury to Beatty, line coach Pat Flaherty is going to have to juggle his unit.