New York Giants' wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks, is out for 12 weeks with a foot injury. The Giants must now look within their organization and try to find somebody who can give them close to what Nicks produced.
While Adam Schefter's Twitter account (@AdamSchefter) reported an optimistic timetable for Nick's return on Friday (stating that a source close to Nicks feels that his foot can heal in just under two months) the Giants may need to open the season without him.
Which one of their young receivers will step up for the task?
Victor Cruz is a definite candidate. The salsa-dancing-touchdown-celebrating Cruz lead the Giants in the prime wide receiver catergories with 82 catches, 1,536 yards and 9 TD's during the regular season.
Although the numbers are strong, good enough to land Cruz in the top five of each category among receivers in the NFL, it was his first year as a full time receiver. Many wonder if he can duplicate another season with those numbers. Also, the Giants like sliding Cruz into the slot as often as possible. If he becomes the only "primary" target, that strategy could become difficult to execute. With Nicks out, he has to come out charging from the gates.
Even before Nick's injury, the Giants were without wideout Mario Manningham. Inconsistent play was all over Manningham's recording during the regular season. He dropped what could have been, game changing catches. But in the playoffs Manningham caught a huge touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers and grabbed a 38-yard pass from Eli Manning in the Super Bowl. He was the only Giants receiver to score in each playoff game (excluding the Super Bowl).
The Giants drafted wide receiver, Reuben Randle from LSU, to fill the void left by Manningham, who by the way, signed with the 49ers over the offseason. Randle impressed his coach Tom Coughlin on the first day of rookie mini camp. He has also been considered "NFL-ready receiver," by Marc Ross, the director of Giants college scouting.
If this is true, it will be tested immediately. Super bowl champions have noticed how much tougher the league plays against them the following season. The Giants will open up the season against the Dallas Cowboys team. A division and historic rival of the Giants, whom they defeated twice last season.
Another player who might be asked to play the receiver position is the injury plagued, special teams guru, Domenik Hixon. Last season after just two games, Hixon went down with a torn ACL. If he can stay healthy, the Giants could use his speed.
Nicks is expected to be back by preseason, but will need a few weeks to get back into playing form. After the last couple of season Nicks has put together, it will be a large void to fill especially if he misses three of four games in the regular season.
Luckily for the Giants, they have one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Even though inexperienced, if his receivers get open, he will find them.