Hakeem Nicks‘ time with the Saints has already come to an end. On Monday morning, coach Sean Payton told reporters that Nicks has been released (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune). New Orleans signed Nicks less than two weeks ago.
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Nicks, still only 28, 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. The Saints were the fourth NFL stop for the 28-year-old Nicks, who signed contracts with the Colts and Titans between his two Giants stints.
With the Colts in 2014, Nicks registered 38 receptions and four TDs. He was briefly a member of the Titans, but he did not crack their roster. All told, the 6-foot-1, 208-pounder has 92 appearances (67 starts), 356 grabs, 14.3 yards per catch, and 31 TDs on his stat sheet.
For New Orleans, the addition of Nicks came just one day after the team placed fellow wideout Vincent Brown on season-ending IR. Nicks was fighting for space in a crowded receiving corps that already includes Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, second-round pick Michael Thomas, Brandon Coleman, Reggie Bell, and Kyle Prater, as Roster Resource shows. Now, he’ll look for employment elsewhere.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
He’s just 28? Shocking he washed out this fast. He was washed out years ago, by 25 or 26. Incredible.
It does feel like he’s been around a lot longer.
It’s a shame to see what has happened at such a young age. He was really solid for the Giants.
Yeah. Wonder if he has health issues or something to make his skills just erode that fast.