What happened: Aaron Donald said he plans to return to the field against the Giants on Monday. The date matches the Sept. 21 window that had built momentum through the week.

Why it matters: Donald’s availability would alter the front-end matchup for the Giants in a standalone Monday game and put one of the league’s most impactful defenders back in focus. It would also complete a weeklong ramp after Donald said Friday he expected the Giants game to be his debut.

What to watch: The next checkpoint is Donald’s final availability status ahead of Monday. Practice participation and the inactive list will show whether the plan holds into kickoff against the Giants.