EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Ramses Barden has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not practice Wednesday.
Barden's status for Sunday's game against Cleveland is up in the air, as the wide receiver must follow the head injury protocol and be cleared to return.
Barden told coach Tom Coughlin that he believes he absorbed a blow to the back of his head on one of the plays on the Giants' final drive in the 19-17 loss to the Eagles on Sunday night. During that drive, Barden was involved in three pass interference calls, one in which he did appear to take a glancing blow to the head area.
"(He) complained of a headache," Coughlin said. "He asked if he could be evaluated and they sent him for the evaluation yesterday. I think a lot of the symptoms were OK but there is enough there for them to slow him down."
Barden is among several injured players who didn't practice Wednesday. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks remains sidelined by swelling in his knee and pain in his surgically repaired foot. Nicks and Barden are two of the Giants' top four receivers. If they cannot play on Sunday, the Giants will have Victor Cruz, Domenik Hixon, second-round pick Rueben Randle and Jerrel Jernigan at receiver.
"Dropping like flies," Cruz said of his fellow receivers. "Every time I look up, there is another one gone."
Coughlin would love to have his best wide receiver back for Sunday, but he did not say whether Nicks will be able to practice Thursday. Nicks has been held to one practice a week after undergoing surgery to repair a fifth metatarsal in late May. But he was not able to make it through a full practice last Thursday due to the knee issue.
"I think it is a little bit (swollen), but not so as to inhibit him when he walks," Coughlin said when asked if the swelling in Nicks' knee has gone down since last week. "He looks pretty good walking."
Nicks banged his knee in the fourth quarter of the Giants' win over Tampa Bay on Sept. 16. But his knee issue did not flare up until the week after when he was finally able to go through a practice. He has missed the past two games.
"I'd like to think about today if you don't mind," Coughlin said when asked if Nicks will practice Thursday. "Last week, although the plan (to practice once a week) was intact, he could not do it. The medical people have that under control. If he will practice, he will practice. Hopefully we will get enough indication so we can plan for it."
The Giants have other issues, as well. Center David Baas (hand) and right guard Chris Snee did not practice. Tackle David Diehl has already been out with a MCL injury for the past two games but he went through a limited practice -- the most he has done since injuring his knee against Tampa Bay on Sept. 16.
Baas had a swollen right hand during the loss to the Eagles and Coughlin believes it impacted his snapping. But Baas says he will practice on Thursday.
"I'll be fine," Baas said. "I'll be back tomorrow. It'll be good. (Snapping) shouldn't be an issue. I had two bad snaps and I shouldn't have had those. It's not going to be an issue."
Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (quadriceps), linebacker Michael Boley (hip), safety Kenny Phillips (knee) and cornerback Corey Webster (hand) did not practice, as well.
Boley said he was resting a hip issue that has bothered him for a bit and hopes to practice this week. Linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) did go through a limited practice and that helps since Rivers and Boley can play similar roles.
The Giants need as many healthy bodies as they can get on defense. The team's secondary is banged up with Phillips likely missing Sunday's game due to a sprained MCL. Antrel Rolle is also nursing a sore knee and went through a limited practice. Cornerbacks Jayron Hosley and Michael Coe have hamstring injuries but are getting better. Hosley went through a limited practice and Coe went through a full practice.
Stevie Brown could start in place of Phillips, although Tyler Sash is eligible to return from a four-game suspension for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing substance policy.