Giants concerned about Prince Amukamara's injury; Michael Coe likely to fill in

The Giants classified Prince Amukamara's high ankle sprain as "moderate." Their anxiety about the injury is anything but.

"All you've got to do is look around, take the number and count them," Tom Coughlin said Saturday, referring to the long list of cornerbacks who are not available. "We started out with what we thought was a lot of people for camp and good quality . . . We're certainly concerned. Concern is a very modest word."

The injury suffered by Amukamara, for which there is no timetable for return (although high ankle sprains typically take four to six weeks), is the latest to hit the secondary. He joins Terrell Thomas (knee) and rookie Jayron Hosley (toe) as three of the team's top four corners who are unavailable.

But in the big tissue box that is an NFL roster, you pull one player out and another pops up. This time, the next man up for the Giants at starting cornerback appears to be Michael Coe, a six-year veteran who has never started an NFL game. Coughlin said he thought Coe played well Friday.

"I feel like I'll be ready," Coe said of the possibility of starting against the Cowboys in the Sept. 5 opener. "I would embrace the opportunity to go out there and play with the other guys and this great defense, and I think any of the guys who are in our secondary would be ready."

The Giants certainly hope so. They'll take a look at some free agents, but Coughlin said it will be difficult to find decent help at this time of the preseason. In another week or two, when rosters are trimmed down, it might be a different story. For now, it appears the Giants will have to look within for their secondary salvation.

"We will continue to be vigilant," Coughlin said, "but a lot of what has to happen has got to come from the inside here."

There was a brief glimmer of good news at the position Saturdayafternoon. Thomas wrote on his blog that his aggravated ACL is feeling strong, with no swelling, and that his goal is "to still play in the season's opener." Thomas, however, has not yet run outside of a pool since injuring the knee late last month, and later in the day, Coughlin shot down those expectations for Thomas as unrealistic.

"Not according to what I'm reading [in medical reports], no," Coughlin said. "But I would think you always have to give way to hope."

Coughlin did say Hosley likely will come out of his protective boot this week and could do some limited drills in practice.

The Giants have been through this before, with a similar cast of characters. Last year, Thomas was lost for the season and Amukamara missed most of it with a broken bone in his foot. They pieced things together and won a Super Bowl.

Still, this is no way to be starting a defense of that title.

Notes & quotes: DT Marvin Austin (back) seemed close to returning to the field but has suffered a setback in his rehab, Coughlin said . . . LT Will Beatty (back) has had four "pretty good days," according to Coughlin, and could do some drills this week . . . RB David Wilson and DT Markus Kuhn were singled out by Coughlin as rookies who performed well in Friday's game.