Three high-profile players expected to be starters have not played a down this season for the Giants, and there is some buzz this week about all three.
Jason Pierre-Paul is expected to visit the team facility sometime this week — six weeks after his Labor Day appearance when he first allowed Giants medical personnel to examine the right hand he damaged in a July 4 fireworks accident.
This is a follow-up to determine how close or far JPP is from commencing with any football activity. Once that is determined, he has to sign his franchise tender, which will require negotiations — the Giants are not interested in paying him even the reduced value of $9.587 million after Pierre-Paul missed the first six games of the season.
“We’ll know more about that when it happens,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said. “I don’t really have a lot to talk about there.’’
Victor Cruz is expected to have a new MRI exam this week. It has been 20 days since he received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left calf. If the test results come back favorably, Cruz will be cleared to begin running. He has been working on an underwater treadmill since suffering a setback Sept. 30. He will not make his 2015 debut this week.
Will Beatty, on the physically unable to perform list after surgery to repair a torn pectoral, can start practicing this week, triggering a three-week window before the Giants can either activate him or keep him on PUP.
“When exactly that happens I’m not sure if that’s gonna start this week or when, but when we do it, it will be with the idea of bringing him back slowly,’’ Coughlin said. “He’s got a lot of work ahead of him.’’
TE Daniel Fells was released from Hackensack University Medical Center after being hospitalized Oct. 2 with a MRSA infection. Fells will have a nurse assigned to him at his home and will continue to take antibiotics 24/7. For now, his foot has been saved.
“Long road ahead,’’ a source said.
Cooper Taylor, a third-year safety who never grew into the defensive plans, was waived. Taylor played just six plays on defense against the Eagles and 11 on special teams. With the rise of Craig Dahl — he played 31 defensive snaps on Monday as the third safety — Taylor became expendable. … TE Jerome Cunningham, released last week, was re-signed to the practice squad.
WR Odell Beckham Jr., despite missing practice during the week with a hamstring issue, was on the field for 66 of the 68 offensive snaps. Eli Manning looked his way seven times in the first half, and Beckham caught all seven targets, for 61 yards and a touchdown. The second half was a different story — only one target, no receptions.
“We tried to get him doubled as much as possible and there was a lot of double coverage going on on Odell,’’ Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Tuesday.