Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks is expected to be sidelined up to three months after breaking his right foot at an organized team activity early Thursday.
Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot as he was running a route during individual drills in the Timex Performance Center field house in East Rutherford, N.J., the team said.
Nicks is scheduled to have surgery Friday to have a screw inserted into the broken bone. The procedure will be performed by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. The expected recovery time for Nicks is approximately 12 weeks.
The Giants, who lost Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham to free agency, have depth at receiver with Victor Cruz returning along with Domenik Hixon, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, and Ramses Barden. Second-round draft pick Rueben Randle showed a lot of talent in the recent minicamp.
The fifth metatarsal generally takes a long time to heal because there isn’t a lot of blood flow to the area.
Collusion claims
NFL players union chief DeMaurice Smith said his group’s claim of collusion will stand up in court.
The NFL Players Association claimed in US District Court in Minnesota Wednesday that the 32 teams had a secret salary cap in place during the uncapped 2010 season, and that it cost players at least $1 billion in wages.
“Cartels do what cartels will do when left unchecked,’’ Smith said Thursday outside union headquarters in Washington. “The facts justify the complaint.’’
On Wednesday, hours after the court action, the NFL issued a statement saying “the union’s claims have absolutely no merit and we fully expect them to be dismissed.’’
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello also said: “There was no collusion. These claims are totally unfounded.’’
The union’s complaint claims that the league set a $123 million salary cap for the 2010 season, when owners did not have the authority to do so.
Tebow struggles
Mark Sanchez was sharp in the Jets’ first session of OTAs open to the media in Florham Park, N.J., while backup Tim Tebow threw two interceptions in a three-play span. While it’s only May, and the Jets have made it clear that Sanchez is the starting quarterback, it was an encouraging performance. The play of the day was Sanchez’s 80-yard toss to second-round draft pick Stephen Hill. Tebow, acquired to be Sanchez’s backup, was picked off by Bart Scott and then newly signed Yeremiah Bell two plays later. Tebow, who also was used as the personal protector on the punt team, said he was running a new set of plays for the first time . . . Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, 64, is expected to be sidelined until training camp after having surgery on his left leg . . . The NFL and its referees’ union have agreed to federal mediation. George Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, will conduct the talks between the on-field officials and the league. The officials’ contract expired after the 2011 season. The NFL is looking into replacement officials if a deal is not reached by the preseason.