New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin is admittedly having a difficult time reconciling his displeasure with Hakeem Nicks and the fact that organized team activities are voluntary.
Nicks was once again absent on Thursday when the Giants reconvened for OTAs. Having not yet received an update from Nicks or his agent, Coughlin said he still has no idea why the wide receiver is skipping practices. When asked again if he was disappointed that Nicks was not in attendance, Coughlin replied, "Certainly I am."
"At one point, he came and told me he was going to be here," Coughlin said via the Newark Star-Ledger. "Then, he was not here. The strictest interpretation is everybody knows it's a voluntary program."
So why isn't Nicks practicing?
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport has reported that Nicks is more than willing to play out the final year of his rookie contract, allowing the Giants to approach him if they want to discuss an extension.
Even if Nicks isn't sitting out as a form of protest, it's easy to see why he would have reservations about practicing after Michael Crabtree and Arian Foster were recently carted off the field with injuries. Still working his way back from a minor knee scope, Nicks is wise not to risk another injury in "voluntary" workouts if the Giants aren't willing to provide the security of a long-term contract.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
