INDIANAPOLIS — Mathias Kiwanuka is still gathering information from doctors on his neck injury and whether he can resume playing.

New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese said reports so far on Kiwanuka’s herniated disk in his neck have been positive. But eventually Kiwanuka will need clearance to play and confirmation that he can proceed.

Reese acknowledged that the defensive end will have to make a decision whether he wants to play again, considering the potential risk, but he believes Kiwanuka will want to play if he is cleared.

“I don’t think he is quite out of the woods yet with the doctors’ investigation on the neck, but he has been getting good reports, so that is good for us,” Reese said during his news conference at the NFL scouting combine.

When asked if there is a possibility that Kiwanuka would not be able to play again, the general manager said, “It is a possibility. Who knows? When you are talking about neck injuries — Antonio Pierce, he had a neck injury, boom, it was over just like that. So neck injuries are serious injuries and you have to be careful with those things.

“I think if [Kiwanuka] gets cleared by the doctors, I think he’ll play,” Reese added. “The No. 1 variable in the situation is, What are the doctors saying? Are you going to risk your health by playing football or are you going to be OK? I think that’s what he is looking for and I think he is trying to get everybody to confirm that. He’s been to a lot of doctors so we are hoping for the best.”

Head coach Tom Coughlin said Friday that Kiwanuka has been able to avoid surgery so far. Kiwanuka is the Giants’ most versatile defensive player and was thriving in Perry Fewell’s system. He had four sacks in his first three games of the season, even playing some linebacker for Fewell, until he was sidelined with the neck ailment that eventually ended his season.

Kiwanuka’s contract is up and Reese has said the Giants will have to determine what to do financially. He admitted that the Giants could offer the defensive end a one-year deal to re-establish his worth coming off the injury.

“We’ll figure that out,” Reese said. “The first bridge that we have to cross [is], is he available to play?

“I’m waiting for the doctors’ report, everybody’s report. And he’s got to make a decision, Do I want to play? There’s risk, period. But when you have a neck injury, you have to be careful.

“He’s been all over the place to try to get the right information so he can make the best decision, if he is going to play again next fall. I think there are a couple more doctors that he wants to get some confirmation from and our doctors want to huddle up and make sure everybody is saying the same thing, that everybody is on the same page with that.”

Ohm Youngmisuk covers the Giants for ESPNNewYork.com.

Follow Ohm Youngmisuk on Twitter: @notoriousohm