Jason Pierre-Paul's right hand worse than team led to believe: sources

— -- The New York Giants feel the damage to Jason Pierre-Paul's right hand was worse than they were led to believe, sources said, and after the team got a chance to examine him last week, there are people in the organization who fear he might not be able to return to the field at all this year.

One source said that, in addition to the missing right index finger, fractured thumb and skin grafts, a portion of one of the other fingers on Pierre-Paul's right hand is missing.

The Giants have no plans at this time to rescind Pierre-Paul's franchise tender, mainly because it's not costing them anything. Until he signs it, they don't have to pay him. And if he were to sign it, they could place him on the non-football injury list, which at this point would end his season. If he is on NFI, the team can elect not to pay him, and the likelihood of Pierre-Paul winning a grievance would be low, since he admitted to a non-football injury.

Not everyone in the Giants organization has given up on the idea of Pierre-Paul returning. And some who saw him in the building last week were encouraged by his attitude, his demeanor and his physical condition apart from the hand. But the prevailing sentiment around the Giants is one of frustration over the unknown. There is simply no way for them to know when Pierre-Paul will be ready to play, or how good he will be once he is ready.

Pierre-Paul continues to work out on his own, rehabbing and training with his own doctors, trainers and coaches near his home in South Florida. When he was in East Rutherford last week, Pierre-Paul offered to play if the team could outfit him with a protective device for his hand. But given the cost of paying Pierre-Paul on the franchise tag (about $871,000 per game), the team didn't want to put him on the field at less than 100 percent.