Surgery for Henry Hynoski; Hakeem Nicks’ Absence from OTAs Not Tied to Contract

Surgery for Henry Hynoski: As previously reported, FB Henry Hynoski was carted off of the practice field on Wednesday after injuring his left knee. The Giants revealed yesterday that Hynoski suffered an injury to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and a chip fracture to the lateral plateau. Hynoski will undergo surgery on Friday to repair the ligament and the fracture.

“I am going to set my mind to being ready for the first game of the regular season,” said Hynoski. “They said that is not an unrealistic goal, and I will do everything in my power to be ready for the start of the season.”

Hynoski later tweeted, “Thank you everyone for all the tremendous support…just a bump in the road…I will come back stronger than ever from this!”

Nicks’ Absence from OTAs Not Tied to Contract: According to Yahoo! Sports, the absence of WR Hakeem Nicks from the Organized Team Activity (OTA) practice on Wednesday was not due the receiver’s desire to receive a higher-paying contract from the Giants.

Nicks’ agent declined to explain Nicks’ absence from the OTA practice on Wednesday. But he did strongly deny that Nicks was not there because of his current rookie contract, which is set to expire after the 2013 season. The agent told Yahoo! Sports that “Nicks takes his place in the community very seriously and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that reputation.”

Yahoo! Sports initially caused the commotion on Wednesday by reporting that Nicks did not attend the OTA practice as part of a contract negotiating tactic. That erroneous report was apparently based on a Giants team source who said Nicks may be unhappy with his contract situation. That unidentified team source told Yahoo! Sports that Nicks was sending “the team a little message by not showing up for practice Wednesday.”

Aside from his absence this week, Nicks has been participating in the Giants’ offseason program although he has been limited due to an offseason arthroscopic procedure on his left knee.

Giants Re-Sign WR Ramses Barden: The Giants have officially re-signed unrestricted free agent WR Ramses Barden. The contract is reportedly a 1-year deal.

“I’m happy to be back,” Barden said. “This is where I wanted to be and now I’m here. I was out there listening to the calls, getting back into the rhythm of the cadence, enjoying the camaraderie and absorbing everything. I remember everything; I’ve had four years to soak it all up. I’m happy to be back on the field. I feel great. I expect the best.”

Giants Complete Second OTA: Although it was not open to the media, the Giants completed their second Organized Team Activity (OTA) practice yesterday. The Giants have eight remaining OTAs: May 29-31 and June 3-7.

OTA practices are voluntary but participation is encouraged. The Giants are currently in the final phase of their offseason workout program. During this final phase, no live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are permissible.