EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Giants returned to the practice field Monday, but without a few key injured players.

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (neck), offensive tackle David Diehl (knee) and safety Antrel Rolle (knee) were not on the field.

Also, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (foot), wide receiver Domenik Hixon (concussion), cornerback Jayron Hosley (hamstring), cornerback Michael Coe (hamstring) and linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) were all on the field but did not practice.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Bradshaw and some other Giants went to the Hospital for Special Surgery on Monday to be examined, in the hope of eventually being cleared for practice later this week. Bradshaw has not played since suffering a neck injury in the first half against the Buccaneers last Sunday.

"I'm concerned about all of them," Coughlin said. "But hopefully there is that element that when they come back they have been cleared to go."

Coughlin said he hopes to have his starting running back for Sunday night's game against the Eagles, but he acknowledged that Bradshaw's condition is more than a pain-tolerance issue.

"No, there are still issues," Coughlin said. "If it was just pain he would be going."

Bradshaw, Diehl, Hixon and Nicks will have two weeks of rest by the time the Giants play in Philadelphia.

Coughlin said he is hopeful that Diehl's MCL knee injury will improve by this coming weekend.

Rolle said last Friday that he will be fine after banging his knee on a camera on the sideline in Carolina and suffering a bruise and lacerations. It was a scheduled day off for Rolle, who was getting treatment, according to Coughlin.

Hixon has passed his baseline tests and is expected to practice on Wednesday.

Coughlin said he expects Nicks to practice once this week, as per his normal routine this season. Nicks said he believes he would have played against the Panthers if the game was on a Sunday instead of a Thursday night.

"I don’t think it was a setback," Nicks said of being downgraded from questionable to out last Wednesday, before the team left for Charlotte. "I think it was more of a cautious situation where it was too quick of a turnaround with the foot and all the pounding that I did on the foot in that last game."

Coughlin also said that Hosley and Coe were feeling better, but it still remains to be seen how their hamstrings will feel later this week. Cornerback Corey Webster did practice and had a cast on to protect the broken bone in his right hand.