At the beginning of the 2009 season, the biggest concern for most Giants fans were the wide receivers. Having lost Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress in the same year seemed to be too much to overcome. One of the big names that kept popping up all over the internet was WR Anquan Boldin. Boldin recently signed a 4-year $28 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens and will finally be out of All-World WR Larry Fitzgerald’s shadow. So why am I bringing this up?
Now that Hakeem “Octo-Hands” Nicks has some experience under his belt and Anquan Boldin is with a new team, I thought it would be interesting to do a comparison on both guys. Hakeem Nicks would not be a Giant if Jerry Reese had brought in Boldin, a move that surely would have included giving up draft picks. In my mind, these two guys are linked and it is fun to see how both will perform in 2010.
Let me say that I think the Giants made the right move by drafting Hakeem Nicks. I don’t think anyone can deny that the brightest spot on the team in 2009, was the WR Corps. All of us were proven wrong. Hakeem “Those are some big hands” Nicks could prove to be a superstar in the NFL. He performed extremely well in his rookie season and will surely have a bigger role in the Giants offense next season. I can only say this now, because I was one of those fans worried about the WR group. Yes, I admit it. Not that I didn’t believe in Nicks but when you see a great player like Anquan Boldin on the table, it’s hard to look away. And all of that brings us here today. Nicks surely on the cusp of becoming a number one WR with the G-Men and Boldin about to become a number one WR in Baltimore. Who do you think will have a better season in 2010? Does it come down to Eli Manning or Joe Flacco having a better season?
2009 Season Stats:
1. Anquan Boldin – 15 game starts, 84 receptions, 1,024 yards, 4 TD’s
2. Hakeem Nicks – 6 game starts, 47 receptions, 790 yards, 6 TD’s
RD – NYGReporter.com