The Giants have played their last three games without wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, a streak which might have a chance at coming to an end with the news that Nicks has returned to practice on Thursday.
Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that Nicks took part in individual drills during the portion of practice open to the media. It’s the first time that Nicks has been at practice since the week before the Week Four game with the Eagles, when he practiced on Thursday and then was ruled out of the game because of a knee injury he suffered during the Week Two win over the Buccaneers.
That history provides a good reminder that getting back to practice is only half the battle for Nicks. It will be just as important to see how his knee and foot, which Nicks had surgery on this offseason after breaking a bone, respond to an increased workload. His knee swelled after that last practice, forcing him to concentrate on rehab only for the last two weeks.
Linebacker Chase Blackburn, tight end Martellus Bennett and cornerback Corey Webster also practiced on Thursday after missing Wednesday’s session, although, like Nicks, we won’t know their participation level until the team releases its practice report. Having all four players in the lineup for this week’s matchup with the 49ers would be a very good thing for the Giants’ chances of improving to 4-2 on the year.