According to the New York Daily News, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has still not signed his franchise tag.

Pierre-Paul met with Giants officials on Monday, agreeing to see them for the first time since he injured his right hand in a fireworks accident that resulted in the amputation of a finger during Fourth of July weekend. Per the report, the Giants doctors that examined Pierre-Paul at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Monday did not believe he was healthy enough to play.

Pierre-Paul will instead return to Florida to work out and get himself into playing shape. There is currently no timetable for his return.

The fact that Pierre-Paul did not sign the franchise tag by last Saturday is significant because he can no longer receive the full $14.8 million contract assigned to defensive ends under the tag, but only the prorated total based on how many games he plays. If he'd signed by Saturday and been placed on the Non-Football Injury List, he could have gotten paid while sitting out (and worked out with the team while recovering), but he wouldn't be eligible for the active roster until at least after Week 6.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin knows the team needs Pierre-Paul in order to compete with the Cowboys and Eagles in the NFC East.

"We need a healthy Jason Pierre-Paul, certainly," Coughlin said. "He's a guy that would add to our team, provided he's healthy and can play at the level he's played at."

Instead of being able to help the Giants in practice while he recovers, the defensive end will have to be away from the team while he works on getting back to the point where he can step on the field.