Dwayne Harris

Giants wide receiver Dwayne Harris took snaps on the scout-team defense in Thursday's practice. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

EAST RUTHERFORD -- It will be a really bad sign for the Giants if some of the players who practiced at safety on Thursday are playing on defense in Monday night's game at Minnesota.

With the Giants' secondary decimated by injury, wide receivers Dwayne Harris, Geremy Davis and Darius Powe stood in at safety for the scout-team defense during Thursday's practice.

"I played four snaps of defense in middle school," Harris said. "That was the last time I played defense."

Powe and Davis, who are both on the practice squad, last played defense in high school. But the receivers were needed on Thursday with the Giants down to two healthy safeties and four healthy cornerbacks. Safeties Darian Thompson (foot) and Nat Berhe (concussion), and cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and Eli Apple (hamstring) missed Thursday's practice.

"Coach told me they were going to need me today because the numbers are down, so I had to do it," Powe said. "You have to be ready for anything. If they need you, help out the team any way you can."

While Thompson is expected to miss the game, it's too early to determine the availability of Berhe, Rodgers-Cromartie and Apple. If things don't improve with those players, the Giants could promote a defensive back from the practice squad or sign an emergency free agent. But for Thursday, they made do with what they had.

"It's mostly just scout team, backpedaling, trying to give a look for the offense," Powe said.

If any of the receivers actually need to play safety in an emergency situation, Harris would be the most likely to get the call. He'll be active for the game and he has demonstrated his ability as a tackler on special teams.

"They mentioned to me, 'We might possibly need you on defense.' But they haven't really said anything to me like it's set in stone right now," Harris said. "So I don't know what way they're going, what they're going to do about it. As far as right now, I'm just keeping an open mind with it. If they need me, they need me. If not, I'll continue what I've been doing."

Harris is confident he'd be up to the task.

"I'm pretty sure I could do it," Harris said. "I'm pretty sure it's not that hard -- tackle somebody and if the ball comes to you, intercept it. Sounds easy."

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Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.