The New York Giants missed the playoffs last season after being Super Bowl champions in 2011 and one of the main reasons people around the league felt the team couldn't play consistently was due to the injuries to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, but after a full year of recovery, the receiver appears ready to break out in 2013.
According to the NY Daily News, Nicks has had the time this past offseason to get fully healthy and the wide receiver felt "good" after the team opened their offseason workout program on Monday. The team program was not the first time quarterback Eli Manning and some of the wide receivers have worked out together, as Manning brought Victor Cruz, Louis Murphy and Nicks down to Duke to work out last week with his brother Peyton and his former coordinator David Cutcliffe.
Prior to last offseason Nicks had foot surgery and after playing in two games last year he injured his knee and was forced to miss more time after that, saying he probably should have missed six to eight weeks instead of the three games he did. Nicks ended up playing in 13 games and made 53 catches for 692 yards and three touchdowns, which felt like a disappointment after the Super Bowl run. The first part of the offseason program for the Giants was strength and conditioning work and other activities will continue throughout the week and then later into summer.
One member of the Giants that wasn't in attendance though was wideout Victor Cruz, who has been working with the team on a contract extension all offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Cruz has expressed his interest in staying with the Giants and his move to Jay-Z's company signifies that sentiment as well, but the two sides are currently apart.
Cruz has been essential for the Giants over the past two seasons while making over 80 catches for 1,000 yards and he has been a favorite target of Eli Manning. The Giants hope to bring him back to join a number of free agent additions, including Cullen Jenkins, Louis Murphy, Aaron Ross and Kevin Boothe (re-signed), who were all at the program on Monday.
