Updated

Injured middle linebacker Jon Beason says he is hopeful he can play in a preseason game for the New York Giants.

Beason has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his right foot and incurring ligament damage in June. The 29-year-old Beason is running on an underwater treadmill, is active in the weight room, and he's eager to get back on the field.

But he says he won't do anything foolish and suffer a setback in his recovery.

Beason was acquired last October and his first game was the sixth straight loss for the Giants to open the season. But they went 7-3 the rest of the way, and the defense that had struggled before he arrived finished eighth in the NFL overall.

Veteran Jameel McClain and fifth-round draft pick Devon Kennard have stepped in with Beason sidelined.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL