Sean Locklear said he got the news Wednesday, from Giants offensive line coach Pat Flaherty: David Diehl will return to his starting right tackle job this week, and Locklear will be moved to jumbo tackle duty.

"He said, 'You're not being benched because of your play,' " Locklear said of his conversation with Flaherty. " 'You’ve been playing good; you’ve done everything we’ve asked. It’s just the guy can’t lose his job from minor injury.' I kind of expected it, I just didn’t know when it was going to happen. He’s been here 10 years; he’s started virtually every game. So I understand where they are coming from."

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Locklear said Diehl is taking all the reps with the first team in practice this week, in preparation to start against the Steelers. They split the reps the past few weeks.

Diehl sprained his MCL in the Week 2 win against the Buccaneers and missed the next three games. Diehl returned for the 49ers game but has been the jumbo tackle the past three weeks -- the first time in his 10-year Giants career he's played but did not start.

"It’s tough, but it’s the position I thought I was going to be in coming into the season," Locklear said of the move. "But you know, things happen. Had a chance to actually get in there and play, and now it is kind of back to where I thought it was going to be. I’m happy I’ll be that sixth guy, so I’ll still get some reps. I won’t completely just be out of the loop."

Locklear, a nine-year veteran who signed with the Giants as a free agent this offseason, has done well in his eight starts. He began the season at left tackle, while Will Beatty was on his way back from a back injury, and moved to right tackle after Diehl's injury. Quarterback Eli Manning has only been sacked six times this season, the fewest in the league.

"I was excited to get in and play, I'm excited for the things I've done, but I’ll be (Diehl's) biggest fan," Locklear said. "I’ll cheer him, help where I can, and then like I said, I'll be the sixth guy and prepare that way."

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was less revealing, telling reporters that the coaches had not made a decision yet.

"They're doing a pretty good job, so it's hard to make a change because of that," Gilbride said of the line's pass protection. "But we certainly appreciate all the things David brings to the table. So it's one of those things you wrestle with, which is the best. We're still wrestling with that decision."