Victor Cruz

The one-time superstar hasn't played since October 2014 when he tore a patellar tendon. After surgery, he was cleared to play but suffered a calf strain in camp. The strain lasted into the season, and he was eventually put on IR. Cruz had surgery, and declared himself 100 percent healthy in April, but after the long layoff and two surgeries, it's anyone's guess whether and to what extent he makes it back. Aware of the risk, the Giants consequently drafted Sterling Shepard, a small, quick, polished WR, capable of playing the slot. At 6-0, 204, with 4.47 speed and excellent quickness, Cruz was once the league's best slot WR, but his per-play production was already dropping before he got hurt. Then again, he barely played opposite Odell Beckham Jr. to benefit from single coverage. He is expected to be ready for training camp.

Only three years ago, Cruz was the unlikely toast-of-town superstar returning from a breakout season. Now it's Odell Beckham Jr., and Cruz will serve as the complementary target — assuming he can return to something approximating full health after he tore his patellar tendon in Week 6. At press time, Cruz had been running straight ahead without difficultly, but had yet to make lateral cuts or run routes. Both Cruz and the team are hopeful he'll suit up for Week 1, but whether that happens, and if so at what capacity, are open questions. At 6-0, 204, with 4.47 speed, Cruz has average size and runs well, but it's his unusual quickness and ability to accelerate that made him so dangerous at his peak. A healthy Cruz would likely see most of his work out of the slot with Beckham and Rueben Randle playing outside. In Ben McAdoo's west coast offense, Cruz would still get his looks, but barring an injury to Beckham, Cruz's best-case scenario is being the team's No. 2 receiver and making plays in the middle of the field while the second-year star takes the top off the defense.

A knee injury and a concussion ended Cruz’s season two games early, but he – and the Giants passing game as a whole – were in freefall long before that. In fact, after scoring four times in his first four games, Cruz didn’t score again all season, and three of Cruz’s four 100-yard games also took place in the season’s first quartile. Bad playcalling, terrible offensive line play and a poor season from quarterback Eli Manning were largely responsible for the team’s across-the-board offensive decline, so there’s reason to think the 27-year old Cruz can bounce back so long as the team does. To that end, the Giants jettisoned long-time offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, and brought in former Packers quarterback coach Ben McAdoo. McAdoo plans to install more of a West Coast style offense that should result in quicker-developing plays and more short receptions for Cruz and the other Giant receivers. At 6-0, 204 and with 4.47 40 speed, Cruz has decent size and good speed, and he’s exceptionally quick and dangerous in open space. Last year’s per-play numbers (13.7 YPC, 8.2 YPT) were passable, but Cruz’s ceiling is quite a bit higher should the offense return to something resembling its 2011 peak. To that end, the Giants took speedster Odell Beckham with the 12th overall pick in May. Beckham should see targets right away, but is probably more of a threat to teammate Rueben Randle than Cruz. Cruz had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in December but declared himself 100 percent healthy in April.

On paper, Cruz's second year as a starter was a success. But if you look more closely, he took a big step back. Cruz's YPC plummeted from 18.7 to 12.7, and his YPT followed suit (11.7 to 7.6 – 23rd among the league’s 39 100-target WR). Cruz also tied for the league lead in drops (11) and finished third in drop percentage (7.7.) Still, there's plenty to like here. At 6-0, 204, Cruz has good size for a slot receiver with elite quickness. He's also dangerous after the catch and a very tough cover for opposing defensive backs. Cruz was also effective in the red zone, scoring on six of his 19 targets. With Hakeem Nicks likely to be healthier this year, Cruz will find himself splitting targets more often, but he should also have more room to operate and less pressure to carry the team’s passing game.

Were it not for a season-ending ACL injury to Giants No. 3 WR Domenik Hixon in Week 2, Cruz might still remain a secret to his own team. As it turns out, Cruz got into the mix in Week 3, and had 80 catches for 1,519 yards over his next 14 games. Prorated over a full season, that’s 1,736 yards or what would be the fourth highest total in NFL history. At just 6-0, 204, Cruz isn’t big, but he’s lightning quick in and out of his breaks and knows how to setup defenders instinctively to get open in the slot. He’s also dangerous with the ball in his hands, finishing second in the league in yards-after-the-catch to Wes Welker on 42 less targets. Among the league’s 32 100-target receivers, Cruz was first in both yards per target (11.7) and yards per catch (18.7), and he managed nine scores despite only eight red-zone targets and five looks from inside the 10. Cruz understandably is looking for the Giants to restructure his contract – he made just $450,000 in 2011 – but has vowed not to hold out irrespective of his status on that front. As such, he’ll return to the team as one of Eli Manning’s top targets alongside Hakeem Nicks, who is questionable for Week 1 with a foot injury. Nicks’ status shouldn’t affect Cruz too much – he’ll be both heavily targeted and heavily covered regardless of whether Nicks is on the field early in the year.

Reserve receiver vying for a role on the team.

Long shot to make the team as a reserve wideout.