Coughlin: Hakeem Nicks on PUP, 'just started running in the wading pool'

Bad news Giants fans: Hakeem Nicks, who was incredibly confident about his ability to return for training camp, 'just started running in the wading pool' and, according to coach Tom Coughlin, will begin the season on the PUP list.

By Will Brinson

Jul 27, 2012 at 12:34 pm ET • 1 min read

Nicks isn't recovering well. (US Presswire)

Nicks, who fractured his foot in late May, underwent successful surgery (is there any other kind in sports?) and about a month ago said he would "definitely" be back for training camp. Uh, so much for that.

"He just started running in the wading pool," Coughlin said, per Alex Raskin at our NFL Rapid Reports Blog. "He's got all of that to go through before he can get out there. He's been on the elliptical, so he can do some things like catching the ball, but he's not going to be able to run."

Coughlin also said that Nicks would be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. That's not an issue until the season actually begins: at that point, Nicks would have to miss the first six games of the season if he wasn't removed from the PUP list.

Nicks believed he could be back by August 17, but that seems borderline laughable at this point, given that he's not even running just three weeks out from that target date.

The talented wideout will be back at some point, but Giants fans -- and fantasy owners! -- should be concerned at this point. Our fantasy guys see him as a "low-end No. 1/high-end No. 2" receiver who should be targeted in the third and fourth rounds. The Giants concern is much greater: without Nicks, they're suddenly down Victor Cruz starting across from Dominek Hixon/Rueben Randle/<span data-shortcode=es Barden" data-canon="Ramses Barden" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_PLAYER" id="shortcode0">.

Eli Manning's good (elite even), but that would be asking a lot out of him in the early-going of a season where New York's trying to defend a Super Bowl title.

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