Over the weekend, Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton caused a stir when he questioned receiver Hakeem Nicks' conditioning.
On Thursday, Nicks defended himself, insisting to ESPN's Josina Anderson that he's never been in better shape and that Hamilton wasn't singling him out.
"I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," the receiver said. "I came in weighing 209 when I was supposed to come in weighing 212. After Pep came to me to clarify, he said that he (meant) everybody's getting into game shape right now -- it's the beginning of camp. He came apologizing to let me know he wasn't just singling me out."
Regardless of his shape, Nicks still sits behind Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton on the depth chart. During camp, the free-agent acquisition has been used mainly on the outside in three-receiver sets -- a formation not heavily used with the Colts' proclivity for using a base two-tight end formation.
Nicks believes he's been "performing well" at camp and said coaches would tell him if he weren't. He also added that he's ready to have a bounce-back season.
"My mentality is I'm shooting to be the best in the league at my position this year," Nicks told Anderson. "I'm not trying to make headlines. I do stand on that, but I know it's going to take teamwork. Once you put the team first, everything else falls into place."
As discussed on a recent episode of the *Around The League Podcast*, with Wayne coming off an ACL injury and question marks following Nicks around, the Colts could quickly go from deep to wanting at the receiver position.
The latest Around The League Podcast debates which offense will be the NFL's most prolific and dives into the quarterback battles in Cleveland and Minnesota..
