Giants' Hakeem Nicks Practices For First Time Since Breaking Foot
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks practiced for basically the first time since the Super Bowl champions opened training camp in late July.
Nicks was taken off the physically unable to perform list last week and was very limited until Monday's practice. The four-year veteran made a nice catch against cornerback Corey Webster in a seven-on-seven drill and caught a touchdown on a fade pattern during a late two-minute drill.
"He seemed to be pretty good," coach Tom Coughlin said after practice. "He seemed to feel good and moved around well and did a good job with it."
The receiver told WFAN's Boomer & Carton last week that he'd just need "a good, solid week" of practice to be ready for the Sept. 5 opener.
Neither Nicks nor Coughlin would speculate whether Nicks would play in either of the Giants' final two preseason games.
"We're going to go slow to make sure that there's never a setback," Coughlin said. "He's very anxious to do more, but we'll go slow."
Nicks broke his right foot during an organized team activity roughly three months ago and had surgery. He said he is running at full speed and added that his immediate goal is to get his timing back with Eli Manning.
"I've been running routes now for two weeks. I've run every route in the route book and haven't had a problem," Nicks said before practice. "I feel like I need to just go out there and keep taking care of the things that need to be taken care of, stay on top of it."
A first-round draft pick in 2009, Nicks caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He was outstanding in the playoffs, catching 28 passes for 444 yards (a 15.9 yard average) and four touchdowns.
The happiest player to see Nicks back was Victor Cruz, who has been getting guarded as the Giants' No. 1 receiver in the preseason.
"That's my guy, and he's getting healthy. He's healthy again," Cruz said. "His foot is right. I saw him out there, while we were up in Albany. He was running, doing all of the things that he had to do, to get back out on the field. So, I'm happy to have him back, he's always been around, we talk all of the time, and it's good to see him back on the field."
NOTES: LT Will Beatty remained sidelined with a back problem. Veteran Sean Lockleear, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason, has done well filling in for Beatty, but Coughlin wants to know who his left tackle is going to be soon. ... Second-year DT Marvin Austin said his back problem is better, but he didn't practice because the team is trying to determine whether he can with the medication that he is taking. ... Second-year LB Jacquian Williams returned to practice after being sidelined about a week with a hip pointer. ... Rookie CB Jayron Hosley, who returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown against the Jets, remains sore because of turf toe. Coughlin said the trainers are trying to keep him off his feet. ... With starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw sidelined with a bruised hand, first-round draft pick David Wilson got reps with the first team.
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