Drew Lock ‘100 percent confident’ he’ll return long before Giants’ opener

Drew Lock will be ready by the time the Giants play a game that counts.

And maybe by the time they play their next game that doesn’t count.

Lock didn’t practice for the second straight day on Monday as he deals with the pain in his left side stemming from the hip pointer and oblique strain that he suffered during Thursday’s preseason game.

But the veteran backup quarterback expects to be back long before the regular season opens Sept. 8.

“[I’m] 100 percent confident,” Lock said. “How I felt [Sunday], even how I felt [Monday], there’s no worry about that.”

Lock could be available as soon as Saturday against the Texans, though it might make more sense for head coach Brian Daboll to just pass the torch from Daniel Jones in what could be his lone preseason action to third-stringer Tommy DeVito.

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“Not ruling out the possibility of playing,” Lock said. “If the opportunity is there and we both feel comfortable with it.”

Lock was injured on a hit by the Lions’ Nate Lynn despite wearing a rib protector underneath his uniform.

He stayed in the game for two more plays before subbing out mid-possession.

“There’s about a four-inch gap there and he was perfect,” Lock said. “He found where we’re not padded up.”

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General manager Joe Schoen said during the FOX broadcast that Lock could’ve returned if needed, but he only has been throwing off to the side in the last two practices.

“Not like 60, 70-yard bombs, but we’re slinging it around,” Lock said. “If it didn’t [hurt], I’d probably be out there. If everything was good, I’d be practicing.”

Lock provided valuable football Xs and Os insight on why he did not target Malik Nabers against the Lions when it seemed like the rookie receiver was running open and there has been an emphasis all camp on feeding the ball to him.

“Normally when you’ve got a single receiver to one side and they’re playing Cover 2 — they kind of have a guy high over the top, one low in the middle — you can risk it,” Lock said. “You can sling it in there if you want. I think early in the game, trying to get [on] a roll. Feeling out the game. Maybe, maybe [I could have].”

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Daboll called it a “long shot” that RT Evan Neal or C John Michael Schmitz would play against the Texans.

Both offensive linemen missed a large chunk of training camp before rejoining individual drills Sunday and Monday.

“I feel good and looking to take the next couple steps,” Schmitz said.

Greg Van Roten had a snap over Jones’ head in Schmitz’s absence.

Undrafted rookie RB Lorenzo Lingard signed in time to practice, taking the roster spot of recently released RB Jacob Saylors.

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