2013 Off-season: Hakeem Nicks 'learned a lot' from 2012 season

The New York Giants struggled with a few injuries during the 2012 season, but none were more noticeable than the knee and foot issues that kept wide receiver Hakeem Nicks from performing at his best.

The struggles Nicks went through, though, are only motivating him to be ready for the 2013 season. Nicks recently traveled to Durham with quarterback Eli Manning and receivers Victor Cruz and Louis Murphy to get some training in.

"We got some good work in," said Nicks. "It was good for me to just get my feet back up under me a little bit and it was my first time running routes with Eli. So it was good. I feel good; there weren't any setbacks."

Nicks had surgery on his fractured foot during the previous offs-eason and in Week 2 he suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for three games. He was never 100 percent for the rest of the season. He finished the year with career lows of 692 receiving yards and three touchdowns. However, Nicks doesn't pay any mind to the numbers he put up in 2012.

"I don't even look at [last year] now," said Nicks. "It is gone now, so it is what it is -- it is in the past. It is something that I learned from. Every year in your career isn't going to be what you want it to be. So it is just about you adjust to it and make the best of it. But definitely I learned a lot from it. I feel like I grew."

"It is always good to see him back healthy," said

Manning. "He is still striving to get to 100 percent. Obviously, having a healthy Hakeem would definitely make our team much better."

The dual threat both Nicks and Cruz create together on the field is a huge weapon for the Giants and it's something Manning wants and hopes to see back in 2013. It not only helps make his job easier, but helps the team win more games. Nicks current concern is to get his flow back on the field with Manning throwing passes to him.

"My biggest thing is that I want my presence to be felt there with Eli," said Nicks. "Because it is something that I do week-to-week. We're on the same page."

You can follow Kelsey O'Donnell on Twitter @KelsODonnell