New York Giants

Giants LB Beason expects to play, despite missing Thursday's practice

Published Sep. 10, 2015 4:22 p.m. ET

foxsports

When NFL players don't practice on Thursday, it's usually a good sign that they won't be active on Sunday. New York Giants linebacker Jon Beason missed Thursday's practice, but he claims that he is still on track to play in the regular season opener agains the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

Although Beason did not participate in any part of Thursday's practice, he told Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News that he was simply treating it as a maintence day.

After releasing veteran inside linebacker Jameel McClain earlier this week, the Giants are exceptionally thing at the position. After McClain's release, they signed inside linebacker Jasper Brinkley. The Cowboys released Brinkley earlier this week, and he is not an option to play meaningful snaps on Sunday.

If Beason can't go, the Giants will likely turn to a combination of Mark Herzlich on early down and Uani' Unga on passing downs.

(h/t @RVacchianoNYDN)