Hakeem Nicks has character, not health, concerns
New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) tries to stiff arm San Diego Chargers cornerback Richard Marshall (31) during second half action at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
New York Giants star wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is still officially with the team, but his time with the Giants organization was up pretty much when the 2013 regular season concluded. He will hit the free agent market at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and it will be interesting to see how hot his market is after a terrible 2o13 season. Nicks was not healthy, but the most important thing was that he was uninspired and basically acted like he didn’t care. He racked up plenty of fines from a frustrated Giants team and criticism from an annoyed fan base, and the bridges he burned will cause him to head into the free agent market with some character questions.
Per a league source close to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, NFL teams aren’t worried about Nicks’s foot and knee injuries which have caused the big WR nagging troubles over the past couple of seasons, but they are worried about his “desire”. That’s a totally fair thing to be worried about, and it could cause Nicks to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal, which sounds like the best policy. Plus, he ‘s reportedly cool with signing that kind of a deal, and I’m sure incentives and financial details would help that.
Nicks has a ridiculous amount of talent and is just 26, so here’s to hoping he can keep his head on straight. Teams like the Carolina Panthers should show interest, but anyone interested will be careful not to overlook his red flags. But even the Giants knew just how much of a game-changer Nicks is, because they didn’t trade the “crowning jewel” of the trade deadline away in the hopes that he would be motivated, turn things around, and be a key part of a playoff push. That didn’t materialize, but it shows just how much value Nicks holds due to his elite talent.