Hakeem Nicks Taken off PUP List

Hakeem Nicks’ broken right foot has been one of the most terrifying subplots of Giants training camp. But after sitting out all but the first two days of practice, Nicks was officially taken off of the physically unable to perform (PUP) list today. This means little in the short term, as he needs to sit out at least three practices before taking part in any contact drills (as dictated by the new collective bargaining agreement) and most certainly won’t play this weekend against the Jets. But in the longterm, it’s a great omen to see Nicks healing so quickly.

In 2011, Nicks quietly put up one of the most productive receiving seasons in franchise history, collecting the sixth most receiving yards of any Giant all-time. Though Victor Cruz’s incredible year puts him first on that list, one could argue that it was Nicks’ reputation that caused defenses to shift their focus to him, giving Cruz the opportunity to have so much success. In any event, the Giants are a much more dangerous team offensively with both of their dynamic wideouts healthy, and today was a huge step towards that goal.