The Giants didn’t have wide receiver Victor Cruz on the field for their preseason game against the Bengals last Friday night and the starters were definitely in need of some offensive spark while going scoreless over four possessions.
Cruz thinks he’ll be able to provide that spark soon. During an appearance on WFAN Monday, Cruz said that his knee is 100 percent after last year’s torn patellar tendon. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports he later asked Cruz if that was correct, leading Cruz to say he didn’t make that assessment of his condition.
Whatever the percentage, Cruz feels ready to play. He said that he felt he crossed a bridge on Sunday when he emerged from his most involved practice of the summer with “no pain, no swelling” the next day. That leaves him feeling ready for the next step on the way to full participation in all the team’s football activities.
“I’m ready to play, yes, absolutely,” Cruz said. “I think it’s just getting back to that speed, acclimating myself to that speed again. It’s been 10 months since I’ve been out there. Game speed, game time, so that will be the only adjustment, getting used to that game speed again.”
Cruz did 11-on-11 team drills during the team’s practices with the Bengals last week, which indicates the Giants don’t feel too differently about the next steps for Cruz. The Giants host Jacksonville and the Jets the next two Saturdays, one of which could mark the return of Cruz to the Giants lineup.
