Hakeem Nicks passes physical, taken off PUP list

ALBANY -- The Giants are getting their No. 1 receiver back, right on schedule.

Hakeem Nicks, who has spent the last 11 1/2 weeks recovering from surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot, passed a team physical Monday and was taken off the physically unable to perform list. He'll still need a few days before he can return to full action -- per league rules, he must be limited for the first three practices -- but he'll be a welcome addition to the offense.

"They're letting me know that by the beginning of next week, I can start doing some stuff with the team, some individual [drills] and stuff like that," Nicks said. "They still want me to take it slow and be smart about it. But I feel good about being out there progressing myself with the team slowly but surely."

Nicks has been running routes on the side during practices for several days.

"We're getting there," Tom Coughlin said of Nicks' progress just before the roster designation was announced. "You know how he is. He wants to go, wants to go, wants to go."

Nicks was expected to miss 12 weeks after breaking the fifth metatarsal of his right foot in an OTA workout in May. On Friday, it will be 12 weeks since his surgery. Nicks remains on track to play in the opener against the Cowboys on Sept. 5.

"This is an indication that we're right where we should be," Nicks said. "We're on schedule. There have been no setbacks. Thank the Lord for that. I'm just going to take it one step at a time and be out there catching passes from Eli [Manning] and eventually getting our timing back."