Giants WR Nicks Hopes To Practice In August

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks isn't enjoying training camp in the least.

It's one thing to be at camp and working hard. It's another to be there and have to watch everybody else play at the University at Albany camp.

Nicks is still rehabbing from a broken foot suffered in an organized team activity in May and he probably won't practice until the middle of next month. It's made him antsy.

"I'm ready to get back at it, and I feel like I need to be out there with the guys," Nicks said Sunday at lunch. "I'm just following the instructions of the team doctors and the team trainers."

Nicks, who is on the physically unable to perform list, has started running but he cannot make cuts at this point.

"There are definitely no setbacks," Nicks said. "Everything is going the way we planned, so we're just sticking to the things that the doctors and trainers told us."

Nicks caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He added 28 catches for 444 yards and four TDs in the postseason.

Nicks' absence has given the Giants' young receivers a chance to play and rookie Rueben Randle, second-year pro Jerrel Jernigan and Ramses Barden have made plays in the opening days of camp.

Jernigan's contribution might be the most surprising. He was active for nine games but did not catch a pass.

"I've had two good practices so far," Jernigan said. "I just have to continue going and keep going out there catching passes and learn the offense."

Randle had three catches on Sunday and Barden had a good catch on a seam route.

The Giants have at least one opening since Mario Manningham signed with San Francisco as a free agent.

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Second-year linebacker Mark Herzlich has shown up at training camp a little leaner and quicker this season after cutting down on his body fat.

The former Boston College star who overcame a bout with cancer made the play of the day on Saturday when he picked off a pass in the rain.

"I matched the tight end to the corner. It was kind of my man, so I went out there and Justin Tryon was with me," Herzlich said. "We made a play on the ball and then the ball kind of bounced around a little bit and I was able to pull it in and get my feet in bounds, so it was a good play. It was kind of one of those things when the ball has to bounce the right way and you have to make a play at the time."

With Greg Jones being moved to the outside, Herzlich seemingly is the No. 2 middle linebacker behind Chase Blackburn.

Herzlich started two games in the middle last year before spraining an ankle.

"It definitely let me know that I'm able to play at this level, and that I'm able to succeed and play well at this level," Herzlich said. "I think that playing in those two games was a great experience and confidence builder for me because everybody tells you that game speed is a lot faster than practice speed. Just going out there and knowing what it was like to play in a big game and on a big stage, you get confidence that builds up for the next year."

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EXTRA POINTS — LBs Michael Boley and Keith Rivers did not practice because of minor hamstring injuries. ... RB Da'Rel Scott missed his second straight practice with an ankle injury. ... DE Justin Trattou arrived at lunch wearing a boot on his sprained left ankle. ... CB Terrell Thomas left practice early to put an ice pack on his surgically repaired right knee (ACL). Coughlin said that will probably be the norm for a while. ... LB Greg Jones has been moved from the middle to the outside and Coughlin said he has played well. ... Former Giants RB Tyrone Wheatley was at practice. He is the running backs coach at Syracuse.

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