3:08pm: The Giants have officially signed Nicks, placing Cruz on injured reserve, the team announced today in a press release.
8:31am: After auditioning for a handful of potential suitors this year, veteran wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has finally found a new team — his old team. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), with Victor Cruz heading to the injured reserve list, the Giants are re-signing Nicks.
Nicks, 27, spent the first five years of his career in New York with the Giants, enjoying the most productive stint of his career with the team. Posting consecutive seasons of 75+ receptions and 1,000+ receiving yards in 2010 and 2011, Nicks totaled 311 catches, 4,622 yards, and 27 TDs from 2009 to 2013.
However, prior to the 2014 season, the former first-round pick signed a one-year deal with the Colts, and struggled to get much going with Andrew Luck and company, establishing new career-lows in receptions (38) and yards (405). Nicks signed with another AFC South team, the Titans, earlier this year, but was cut by Tennessee a week before the regular season got underway.
Since becoming a free agent in September, Nicks has worked out for several teams, including the Rams, Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys, and Saints. The North Carolina product also had an audition with the Giants, and will now return to his old team in the hopes of providing some veteran depth and perhaps replacing a little of the potential production lost when Cruz went down with a season-ending calf injury.
Happy for him that he’ll at least get to suit up this season. The Giants certainly can’t rely on Cruz moving forward, and Randle is a free agent, so if Nicks shows them something this season, he may find himself in a good position to remain with the club next year.
It’s unreal how far Nicks has fallen in just a few short years. Here’s hoping getting back to New York will help him resurrect his career.