New York Giants

Giants' Coughlin on Hakeem Nicks: He was the best player out there

Published Nov. 24, 2015 6:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had a simple reason for re-signing wide receiver Hakeem Nicks -- he was the best player available, according to their evaluation.

"I’ll be point blank with you, Hakeem was the best player out there for right now, for the circumstances," Coughlin told reporters Monday. "Matter of fact, he was someone who we figured was in the sights of other clubs. Certainly he’s been a Giant before, it’s a different system. But we know the player, we know the young man and, quite frankly, he was, in our opinion, the best player out there."

Coughlin believes that Nicks can get back to being close to the same player he was after being drafted by the Giants in 2009. During the first three years of his tenure with the Giants, Nicks scored 24 touchdowns.

"To be honest with you, I don’t think there’s any question about that part of it," said Coughlin. "He is a young man and he does miss it and he has worked very hard to stay in shape. We knew that when he worked out here the first time. Yeah, I’m hoping that’s exactly what it will be."