These days, Cruz, who is trying to come back from a torn patellar tendon in his right knee suffered in 2014 and the calf injury in his left leg that cost him previous year, knows that there’s a time and a place for being tough and pushing through the normal soreness that comes with summer training camp.
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“In the short term, obviously I want to keep doing what I’m doing and make this team”. Cruz said during an interview on The Michael Kay Show on 98.7 ESPN New York that he underwent treatment on the groin all morning.
“Not really”, Cruz said. “I’m not having those doubts or those feelings in my mind right now”.
And so far, the undrafted rookie wide receiver from Bowling Green is leaving others with that same impression as one of the most pleasant surprises for the Giants since training camp began.
There are few injuries more debilitating to a professional athlete than the torn patella Cruz suffered. He even made a nifty catch in the back of the end zone against veteran slot corner Leon Hall during that drill, but felt something shortly thereafter. The Giants had their last full practice before their preseason opener on Wednesday – Cruz was a non-participant – and won’t practice again until Sunday. It’s just maintenance. I’ve gotten in the routine of doing it over the years.
“I don’t want to do anything stupid at this point”, he said in the radio interview.
Beckham is ready, though, and so is Shepard, the second-round draft pick listed as a starter on the depth chart for the game.
When asked if that was achievable, Cruz did not hesitate.
“I keep reminding him that his first game is September 11, even though you have to get your feet wet in the preseason”, Beckham said of Cruz. Beckham’s scheduled news conference for Tuesday was pushed to today, so he will speak to reporters for the first time since his return to practice after missing three consecutive sessions due to soreness and superficial lacerations on his lower left leg from an in-practice collision with teammate Janoris Jenkins. It seems highly unlikely Cruz would return then for his first game action of any kind since October 2014.
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“I don’t think he needs to be pumped up”, Beckham said. “It’s not just one person making that decision”. He won’t even say whether he or offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan will call the plays; McAdoo did it for the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator before taking over the head coaching job from Tom Coughlin.
