Hakeem Nicks Released by Saints After Signing 1-Year Contract

The New Orleans Saints announced they released veteran wide receiver Hakeem Nicks Monday after originally agreeing to a one-year deal with the team on July 27.

ESPN's Adam Schefter originally reported the deal between the two sides, and on Aug. 2, Nick Underhill of the Advocate reported the deal was for one year and $885,000. Underhill noted there are "no guarantees, and he did not receive a signing bonus."

The seven-year man has been a shell of his former self since leaving the New York Giants in 2013. Formerly one of Eli Manning's most reliable targets, Nicks recorded four straight seasons in which he caught over 50 passes, including two years of over 1,000 yards. 

He helped lead the Giants' aerial attack alongside Victor Cruz to a Super Bowl XLVI title in the 2011 season, a year he put up a career-best 1,192 yards. But a decrease in his role the following two years put the Giants and Nicks too far apart on a new contract when he hit free agency after the 2013 season. 

Instead, he signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, where he was a non-factor in the Andrew Luck-led offense, recording just 405 yards—a career low at the time. 

In April 2015, he signed with the Tennessee Titans, but they released him before the start of the regular season. When the Giants lost Cruz for the entirety of last season due to a calf injury, Nicks rejoined the team for six games and caught just seven passes as he capped off the worst stretch of his career:

2010-11	Stat	2012-15
155	Receptions	154
2,244	Yards	2,047
18	TD	7

At 28 years old, there is a good chance he could have a few more productive seasons left in the tank, but he has failed to latch on with a team since the end of his tenure in New York.