Despite rumors and reports, the Giants cannot place injured CB Terrell Thomas on IR and then bring him back for the second half of the season.

The rule, which would have allowed teams to bring back one player from IR after six weeks, was voted on and approved by the owners in May but still has not been ratified by the NFLPA. The existing rules remain in place.

The Giants will have to carry Thomas on their active roster until he gets healthy, much like they did with Will Beatty and Prince Amukamara last season.

Some believe there is still hope for the rule, that it and the trade deadline extension to Week 8 can get passed. But many believe there are too many riders attached to these measures and the NFLPA and the owners do not want to sit down to discuss those issues at this time.  They seemingly want to digest the new labor peace for awhile longer.

From Josh Katzowitz of CBSSports.com:

According to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora, though, the NFL hasn’t “given up hope” in implementing the new rules for this season.

“Given the frosty recent relations from the sides and their ongoing litigation, even changes that would seem to benefit both sides don’t come easy,” La Canfora writes. “With issues like HGH testing still unresolved and the union seeking ways to find tradeoffs in order to curb commissioner discipline, this is a climate in which it appears there will need to be quid pro quo even on non-controversial matters.”

And even if the NFLPA doesn’t have a problem with these new rules on their own merit, it’s telling that there hasn’t been much movement in actually approving those measures.