Victor Cruz tells doubters to “tune in”

Victor Cruz on Wednesday had a simple message for doubters like yours truly as he tries to work his way back from his latest injury setback.

Cruz, trying to come back from a torn patellar tendon and a calf injury that have kept him out of the New York Giants last 26 games, has not practiced fully since coming out of practice last Tuesday with what was described as a tight groin. He attempted to practice Sunday, but stopped early in the workout.

Despite missing yet another practice on Wednesday, Cruz was optimistic, saying “today is a better day.” He felt he was able to do a little more on the side than he has the past few days.

“I felt good. We ramped it up a little bit today. We are going to be picking up the intensity as these days progress, just to pick it up a little bit and see where I am physically and do some change of direction stuff towards the end of this week and see where it goes, but I feel great,” Cruz said. “My body feels great after all of that movement and hopefully we can pick it up and progress moving forward.”

• Giants’ options if Cruz isn’t ready to start season

Coach Ben McAdoo also sounded optimistic, calling it a “bounce-back day” for Cruz.

“He’s out there running on the side and looked pretty good. Of course, you’d like to get him in team reps and individual, but we’ll progress that way,” McAdoo said. “He was able to do a little bit more today than he has.”

McAdoo would not rule Cruz out of practice for Thursday or out of Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.

The coach added that to play in a preseason game Cruz would have to “make it through the week of practice and be cleared by the medical staff.”

Cruz added that it was a good day because he was “able to move a little bit more, do more things, get some sprints in, do some lateral movement a little bit and just go out there and ramp up the workload a little bit more.”

Cruz has heard the chatter that his roster spot could be in jeopardy if he can’t get on the field soon, and admitted he thinks about it.

“Obviously. I am a normal human being, so I think about that stuff, but all I can do is take care of what I can take care of and control what I can control and that is my health and being out there when I can,” he said.

“It is not hard at all (to stay positive,” Cruz said. “I have a good support system here at the Giants organization and at home with my family that keeps me upbeat and keeps me positive and makes sure that I am not hanging my head low and understanding that there is going to be bumps in the road. This is just another test that God is putting me through to make sure that I make it through and cherish the other side, so I am treating it as such and making sure that I am ready when my number is called.”

When that will be is anyone’s guess.