INDIANAPOLIS – With 27 free agents to deal with Giants General Manager Jerry Reese knows his roster will have a much different look next season. Two of those potentially leaving may draw some interest from the Patriots.
Reese said defensive end Justin Tuck and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will likely hit the market when he addressed the media at the Combine Saturday morning.
"You never know. We try to keep all of our options open. But both of those guys, free agency ... those guys deserve to see what the market is," Reese said. "But you never know, something could happen but they deserve to see what the market is."
Both players would make sense for the Patriots, particularly the 30-year-old Tuck. The 6-5, 268-pound defensive end is entering his 10th season and has 60.5 career sacks, including 11 last year during a disappointing season in New York.
Nicks is 26 and entering his sixth season and the 6-0, 210-pound wide receiver has been productive for the Giants. He's averaged a shade under 15 yards a catch on his 311 career receptions and has 27 touchdowns to his credit. He caught 56 passes for 896 yards in 15 games a year ago but wasn't able to find the end zone at all. Injuries and consistency have been problems for the talented Nicks, but he's been a productive difference-maker for the bulk of his five seasons.
