Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot this morning during the team's second OTA (organized team activity) workout. Nicks suffered the injury early in practice as he was running a route during individual drills in the Timex Performance Center field house.
Nicks will undergo surgery tomorrow to have a screw inserted into the broken bone. The procedure will be performed by noted foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. The expected recovery time for Nicks is approximately 12 weeks. The Giants report to training camp at the University at Albany on July 26.
The Giants will have a total of nine OTAs before mandatory mini-camp on June 12-14.
The Giants today exchanged defensive backs on their roster.
Brian Witherspoon, a promising cornerback who in yesterday's OTA workout tore his anterior cruciate ligament for the second year in a row, was waived/injured.
To fill his spot on the roster, the Giants signed defensive back Dante Hughes, a six-year veteran who tried out for the team at the rookie minicamp two weeks ago.
Hughes, 5-10 and 186 pounds, spent his first two NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and the last three with the San Diego Chargers. He has played in 53 regular season games with two starts – one in each of the last two seasons- and in one postseason game for the 2008 Colts against the Chargers. Hughes has been credited with 81 tackles (61 solo), one interception and five passes defensed.
In 2011, Hughes played in all 16 games for the Chargers with one start – Nov. 6 vs. Green Bay – and was credited with a career-high 42 tackles (32 solo) and three passes defensed.
The previous season, Hughes played in 12 games, including his first career start on Nov. 28 at Indianapolis, where he was credited with a career-high 10 tackles. In 2009, Hughes played in one game in his first season with the Chargers.
Hughes entered the NFL as a third round draft choice (95th overall pick) by the Colts in 2007. He played in 10 games as a rookie before going on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and 14 games in 2008.
Hughes was a three-year starter at California, where he finished his career with 190 tackles and 30 passes defensed. When he left school he was second in school history with 14 interceptions and 344 return yards. Hughes was an Associated Press first-team All-America and Pat Tillman Pac-10 Defensive Player of Year as a senior and won the 2006 Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy as the top defensive player in nation for leadership and integrity on and off field. He was first-team All-Pac-10 in 2005 and '06.
A Los Angeles native, Hughes was an All-City and All-Conference player at Crenshaw High School. He was born on Aug. 21, 1985.
Witherspoon was signed by the Giants on Dec, 30, 2010 after stints with Jacksonville, Detroit and Carolina. He played 10 snaps on special teams in the regular season finale at Washington on Jan. 2, 2011. Witherspoon first tore his ACL in a preseason game vs. Chicago last Aug. 22 and spent the season on injured reserve.
He has played in 23 career games without a start and has nine tackles. As a return specialist, Witherspoon has returned 26 punts for 280 yards (10.8-yard avg.) with a long of 42 and run back 80 kickoffs for 1,890 yards (23.6-yard avg.) with a long of 51.
