Dahl was released by the Giants on Feb. 20 after failing a physical. He spent the last 5½ months getting back in shape and was re-signed after going through a physical this past weekend.
The average recovery time from an ACL injury is six-to-nine months.
To make room on the training camp roster, the Giants waived safety Terrance Stringer, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier this week.
"In my mind I always thought I would be ready for camp," Dahl said. "They probably didn't expect me to be back, but deep down I had the burning desire to be back."
Dahl said it was hard being injured and seeing the Giants win the Super Bowl.
"But it made me more focused to see the success the guys had, and I am happy for them," said Dahl, who played in 10 games last season, starting two in December.
Dahl faces a tough road to make the team with James Butler, Michael Johnson, No. 1 draft pick Kenny Phillips and veteran Sammy Knight also playing safety.
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DIZZY KOETS: Second-year tackle Adam Koets has been forced to
miss the last two days of work because of dizziness.
"It's a crazy deal," Koets said. "I woke up at four in the morning and sat up and everything just started spinning," he said. "It was going in circles and circles. I laid back down and everything started spinning again. I got a couple of hours of sleep, came in and did some sit-ups and almost passed out. I thought I was going crazy."
Koets was examined by four doctors, including a neurologist, and was diagnosed with benign positional vertigo, a condition which makes him feel like the room is spinning when he changes positions.
Doctors were unable to say whether it happened because of a hit or it was random.
Koets hopes the condition clears up soon. He had to sleep sitting up on Tuesday night to stop the spinning.
"Other than that I am feeling pretty good," said Koets, who was only active for one game last season, a playoff win over Tampa Bay.
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WAUFLE-STRAHAN: Defensive line coach Mike Waufle got a
telephone call from retired defensive end Michael Strahan this
summer.
"He called me while he was driving down the highway and told me, I want to be a training camp," Waufle said. "I told him: You weren't here last year, so what's the problem?"
"So he goes back to me: 'You know I really want to hit someone right now," Waufle said.
"So I told him back: Just don't hit anybody while you're in the car," Waufle said.
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EXTRA POINTS: Offensive lineman Jonathan Palmer passed his
physical and practiced today for the first time. He had been
sidelined with a quad strain. ... WR Steve Smith is out with a
groin injury. ... DE Osi Umenyiora (hip), CB Sam Madison (hernia)
and LB Zak DeOssie (back) sat out the morning workout. ... WR Amani
Toomer returned to practice after missing yesterday afternoon with
a sore leg and made a nice catch over the middle in the morning
workout. ... DE Justin Tuck missed the evening practice due to
general soreness. ... PK Lawrence Tynes made 4-of-6 field goal
attempts on Wednesday, making him 20-of-22 in training camp.
