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After a horrific season-ending injury in 2014, this will be the most important training camp of Victor Cruz‘s career to date.
The New York Giants receiver has vocalized his confidence in his ability to be able to attend training camp, due to begin next month. Cruz joked that he was at 81 percent, and on a more serious note, made it clear that he was making serious progress in his rehabilitation and recovery.
This comes as welcome and warm news to the Giants, who before Odell Beckham Jr. made his debut last season, had no comparable options at wide receiver. If the team is to have him back for training camp, both Cruz and the Giants’ training staff have their work cut out for them.
Assuming all goes as well as it can and Cruz makes it to training camp, he will find his name missing from his usual No. 1 wide receiver slot. Beckahm Jr. has rightfully assumed the role of the Giants go-to guy. Cruz, however, should not be discouraged by this. Taking a break from the No. 1 slot may be exactly what the doctored ordered.
The coaching staff and Cruz should focus on drills and plays that will not exacerbate his grueling pattelar tear injury. Caution should be used when trying to gauge what type of a hit his speed took. While an analysis on how quickly Cruz can evade his defenders would be helpful to the team, it must be approached slowly.
Once Cruz is ready to come off the sideline and hit the field, his chemistry with quarterback Eli Manning is the most important thing to focus on besides his health. The work that Manning puts in with his receivers, including Cruz, will be critical to the Giants’ vitality in the NFC East and the NFL as a whole.
Embedded in an extremely tough condition, how Cruz comes out of his injury and out of 2015 training camp could be telling of the future for the Giants this season. Only time will tell what sort of comeback he will be able to make. While the highly admired Beckham Jr. is certainly a playmaker and a force to be reckoned with on the field, the Giants likely need a healthy Cruz to accompany him if their hopes of a 2015 playoff run are to come to be a reality.
For now, every Giant player, fan and follower has their fingers crossed.
Kelsey Kay is an NFL analyst for Rant Sports. Follow her on Twitter @kelseyykayyy, “Like” her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.
