The Giants expect to have safety Kenny Phillips on the field for the start of the regular season, but they won’t take any chances with his surgically repaired knee and plan to hold him out of the start of training camp.

“We just want him to take it slow because we want him to be our starting safety when we line up against Carolina on [September] 12th,” General Manager Jerry Reese told the New York Daily News.

Phillips, who played in only two games last season, is recovering from microfracture surgery, and Reese and coach Tom Coughlin are in agreement that the prudent course of action is to have Phillips open training camp on the sidelines.

“He will work with the training staff and he’ll be observed on a practice by practice, morning, noon and night basis,” Coughlin said. “How he recovers and how fast he comes back from the extended exercise they’re going to put him through, that will determine when he comes on the field.”

Phillips has said he wants to get on the field as soon as possible. But as long as he’s on the field by early September, Coughlin and Reese will be happy.