The Giants could be on the verge of getting 655 pounds of reinforcements to stabilize their offensive line.
Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and right tackle Evan Neal (ankle) are listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Raiders but finished the practice week trending in the right direction.
Thomas has missed seven straight games, while Neal has missed the last two.
“This is the most I’ve done, this [Friday] practice that we just had,” Thomas said. “If it responds well, I think I’ll have a good chance.”
Neal sounded equally optimistic.
“I feel really good,” Neal told The Post. “I took half of the reps and didn’t have any setbacks, so it was definitely promising.”
The timing of the two tackles returning to 11-on-11 reps this week fortuitously aligns with the return of quarterback Daniel Jones, who took 28 sacks and 44 hits in five games before missing the last three with a neck injury.
“They’ve had good days,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “I think they’re making progress, getting close.”
If Thomas can play, it will be the first time that the Giants have their best offensive linemen, Jones and top playmaker Saquon Barkley all together since the third quarter of the season-opener.
“The hard part about it is, it can feel great and one little thing can tweak,” Thomas said. “The trainers are making sure I’m fully ready to go. Obviously, I want to be back out there, but I don’t want to hurt it again.”
Thomas’ return likely means that Justin Pugh can return to his natural position (left guard) after playing the last two-plus games at left tackle.
The best-five combination probably is (left to right) Thomas, Pugh, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski and Neal.
“It’s going to be awesome having the starters out there,” Neal said. “The fans want to see that, everybody in the locker room wants to see that. It seems like it’s been too long since we had our set group out there.”
Guard/center Ben Bredeson (seven starts) and guard/tackle Tyre Phillips (started the last two games) remain options because the Giants have learned this season that chaos strikes without notice.
“We’ve kind of mixed and matched a bunch of guys,” Daboll said.
Rookie CB Deonte Banks is expecting to be busy whenever he is matched up against Raiders WR Davante Adams, a six-time Pro Bowler who has voiced frustrations about his role after making two catches or less in two of the last three games.
New offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree might be wise to call Adams’ number more frequently.
“You have to expect a lot of targets, especially out of a game where he was targeted a bunch and only had one catch,” Banks told The Post. “He’s real smooth in his movements, real quick, real precise — and he makes everything look the same.”
QB Tyrod Taylor (rib cage) and TE Darren Waller (hamstring) were ruled out.
RB Jashaun Corbin (hamstring) is questionable.
Source
