A 'ray of hope' for Shaun Rogers

Shaun Rogers was in the Giants’ locker room yesterday, but that’s not uncommon for a player whose season is over to be spotted around the team.

Today, though, the veteran defensive tackle was actually near the football field during practice. He was riding an exercise bike during warm-ups, wearing his football pants and jersey with a wrap on his right leg. Rogers was supposed to be out for the season with a blood clot in his calf. What gives?

“There’s a ray of hope, that’s all,” Tom Coughlin said after practice. “We’re just going to hang in there as long as we can.”

Coughlin had said last week that Rogers was on blood-thinning medications that would prevent him from playing this season. But he has apparently gotten a second opinion and a second prescription for a medication that could allow him to play this year.

The Giants never removed Rogers from their 90-man roster, even when they were searching for defensive linemen to replace him last week.

“There is a chance that he could come back and play, that’s what we’ve been told,” Coughlin said. “We’re just going to hang in there as long as we can and see if they can determine where he is and how fast he would be able to play.”

Having Rogers available to play would be a big boost for the defensive line. He had been playing well and had impressed the Giants not only with his performance but his dedication to the team. He lost 50 pounds before reporting to training camp and was cited as a good veteran presence who provided leadership as well as a big body in the middle of the defensive line.

Coughlin didn’t know when Rogers might be able to return to football action on this new medication.

“Whether it’s five or six weeks, whatever, I’m not sure,” he said.

It will be interesting to see how long the Giants wait for Rogers and how they align their 53-man roster to either make room for him or compensate for his loss.