Together, the New York Giants’ Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz formulate one of the most dynamic receiving duos in the NFL. Over the past two seasons, the two have combined for 4,512 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns — more than any other team in the NFC East.
The reality, however, is that the Giants may not be able to hold onto both past this season. With Cruz’s ongoing contract talks at the forefront and Nicks waiting out his rookie deal, this could not be more evident.
The Giants are already limited on salary cap space, so providing a substantial raise to two top-flight receivers could very well not be an option. And that’s what could be holding up a long-term deal getting done with Cruz: if they can’t have both, which player do they choose?
Making that choice could be highly difficult. Both players have their advantages and disadvantages with much improvement still to be made.
On the one hand, you have Hakeem Nicks. The 2009 first-round draft pick is the prototypical No. 1 receiver, blessed with the size and athletic abilities to be a top pass catcher in the NFL. In four seasons with the G-Men, the North Carolina product has proven to be a dependable and quality target for quarterback Eli Manning in the red zone, with 27 touchdown receptions.
When healthy, few players are more dangerous than Nicks, but that’s the keyword — healthy.
Nicks has yet to play in all 16 games of an NFL regular season, battling a variety of injuries that have taken their toll on his production within the Giants’ high-octane offense. If he will forever be an injury-prone player whose efforts will be suppressed, is he worth the long-term investment?
And then there’s Victor Cruz. The electrifying, salsa-dancing superstar has quickly become a fan favorite. As a hometown kid from nearby Paterson, New Jersey with outstanding personality, he is a marketing gold mine both regionally and nationally.
Since emerging from the bottom of the depth chart and developing into one of the league’s most lethal playmakers in 2011, Cruz has racked up 168 receptions for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Despite his success, there are question marks surrounding his play. After a franchise-record 1,536 receiving yards in 2011, Cruz’s numbers dipped, and he posted just 1,092 yards this past season. The need to have Nicks lined up opposite him to be productive, as well as his inability to perform positively as an outside receiver are both concerns.
Though clearly a special player, traditional No. 1 receivers tend to present more value, even in a changing NFL. Slot receivers, as Cruz primarily is, are secondary weapons that benefit from the defense’s focus on the lead guy.
So who should the Giants choose if they must choose? That is a decision the front office personnel could make in the upcoming weeks and months if they are unable to construct a feasible plan that will enable both Cruz and Nicks to be members of the New York Giants for the foreseeable future.
Have an opinion on the matter? Care to share who you would prefer to have if it came down to one or the other? Please leave a comment indicating your choice!
Louis Musto is a reporter and sports talk host for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.