ALBANY, NY - Yes, they are part of the game, but injuries have taken over Camp Coughlin, which is obviously a concern to the coach.

“Last Friday I think we had two guys riding the bike on the side, and now we probably have six or eight,” Coughlin said. “It’s unfortunate. Hopefully we’ll get them back as fast as they’re over there [not practicing]. [Visanthe Shiancoe] came back today. I hope we’ll get some more people back relatively soon, but we’ll see.”

Both guard Chris Snee with a knee injury and backup running back Derrick Ward, who slipped and broke his foot are expected to miss the most time.

Snee, though, is the starting right guard and someone the Giants need back as soon as possible.

“They have to see how it responds to the treatment and see how fast we can get him back,” Coughlin said. “The only update that I have right now is that they’re going to treat the knee at this point in time. They’re not going to recommend surgery.”

The guard was replaced by Rich Seubert in the starting lineup until Snee returns.

“Obviously, we’d rather have everyone on our team on the field every day – that’s the coach’s dream,” Coughlin said. “These are the things that grab you around the neck during camp that you have to deal with. Rich jumped right in there at right guard last night, and did a good job last night. Hopefully we’ll continue to make progress.”

Besides those two players, the Giants have a number of injuries on defense including, LaVar Arrington [knee], William Joseph [Leg], Carlos Emmons [burner] and defensive end Adrian Awesome [back].

Arrington’s injury seems to be the biggest worry, since he damaged his surgically repaired knee.

“Am I concerned?” Coughlin mused. “Sure, I’m concerned. I’m concerned any time a player doesn’t practice. For our team to get better, we have to have our team out on the field. But I am aware of the circumstances and hopefully we can get these things under control and get him back out there. And when we put him back out there, we have to make some decisions on how much at that point in time that he does get … He has some swelling. He has swelling in the knee.”

On the brighter note, tight end Jeremy Shockey returned to practice on Monday after suffering a concussion last week.

“Yesterday, I felt pretty, I guess you could say, [like] myself again,” Shockey said. “Every day I feel better, so we’re just trying precautionary [reasons]: not let me get any contact to the head, everyone is trying to be aware when I’m trying to go for the ball and accidentally hit me in the head. They’re doing a good job of that on defense, but again, both sides have to work hard to make each other better, and I think that we did that this morning.”

Since this is a new injury to the All-Pro tight end, Shockey is taking it easy in the beginning and also comparing notes with wide receiver Tim Carter, who suffered from concussions in the past.

Shockey said: “Tim pretty much told me, ‘Take your time, you’ll feel better, and the next thing you know you’ll be hit and you’ll come right back to headaches.’ I think that’s what they’re trying to prevent for me. As of right now, it has no similar effects … I’m trying to influence those guys and do as much as I can to stay in shape and to keep progressing every day as much as the team is.”

But besides the injuries, Coughlin does see the team progressing.

“We’re coming along,” he said. “We need to play this game and then take a good look at ourselves and see where the areas of improvement that you’ve got some objectives for this week and we’re making progress. Like all teams during camp, it’s not necessarily one group over the other group, it’s more of a combined thing.”

The Giants open the pre-season on August 11 in Baltimore.

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