Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, whose absence from the team's first OTA practice last week raised the ire of coach Tom Coughlin, is once again not present at the Giants practice facility this morning for a voluntary team workout. It was -- and remains -- a mystery as to why Nicks is not present. Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning said they both expected him there last week, Nicks' absence today is also unexplained. Yahoo! Sports had reported that Nicks was sending the team a message regarding his contract situation -- he's in the final year of his deal -- but retracted the story after exchanging text messages with Nicks' agent, Peter Schaffer, who vehemently denied his client's absence was related to his contract. Nicks, who injured his right foot in the second OTA practice last spring, had been working out in the team’s offseason program and was in town the night before the first practice being honored by the United Way of New York for his charity work. According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Nicks wanted to send “the team a little message by not showing up for the practice. Source: NJ.com
