At this time last year, Preston Parker recalls he was “begging for money, trying to find a job.’’
After parts of three seasons with the Buccaneers, Parker did not play in the NFL for most of 2012 and not at all in 2013 and, in order to have enough money to eat, spent some of his time building Tiki huts in Florida, long days in the hot sun.
He had spent time in high school and part of college working off the back of a truck, raking and edging grass and spraying weeds, getting $70 a day, enough to “maybe buy some shoes.’’
“I’m good with my hands,’’ Parker said Wednesday.
The Giants sure hope so. Parker is one of the replacement parts they need to add to their lineup for Sunday’s desperation game against the Texans at MetLife Stadium, with the home team sagging at 0-2 and the visiting team soaring at 2-0.
Injuries hit hard in last week’s 25-14 loss to the Cardinals and as a result the Giants need a new No. 3 receiver, a new starting linebacker and a new nickel cornerback.
Parker moves in for Jerrel Jernigan, who is gone for the season with a mid-foot sprain. Trumaine McBride moves in for Walter Thurmond, who is gone for the season after surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. Jameel McClain moves from strong-side linebacker into the middle in place of Jon Beason, who re-injured his right foot. That means a combination of Spencer Paysinger and Mark Herzlich — almost exclusively special teams players in the first two games — get on the field on defense at outside linebacker.
“It’s an opportunity, that’s why you got to go and attack it,’’ Parker said. “I practice hard. Things happen like this in the NFL. When they do, you got to step up and do your best.’’
The Giants, in order to shed their losing ways, are going to have to get some solid returns from precincts that have not yet reported in. Parker is no stranger to the NFL; he caught 40 passes for the Buccaneers in 2011. But it’s been a while. His impressive 29-yard catch-and-run last week was his first NFL reception since that 2011 season. Parker also ran an excellent route against top cornerback Patrick Peterson, but their feet tangled in the end zone.
“We’ll just get ’em next time,’’ said Parker, who also serves as the punt returner.
Parker is bigger than Jernigan and perhaps more explosive. He’s not a kid; at 27, he’s three months younger than Victor Cruz, the oldest receiver in an extremely young group.
“He’s been in the league,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said. “He’s very quick, you saw him the other day. He’s played before, he’s got a good attitude about it, he is a tough guy and hopefully he’ll make a strong contribution.’’
Coughlin said there also “may be some opportunities’’ for rookie receiver Corey Washington, who has played sparingly in the first two games.
“He gets better every day,’’ Coughlin said. “He’s got to continue to improve as a special teamer as well. That’s where he can really help us right now. In the green zone, he’s an excellent target.’’
Beason did not practice, as his re-injured right foot continues to be a source of concern. He is almost definitely not going to play this weekend, but Coughlin said, “I wouldn’t put it past this guy on anything.’’
McClain played in the middle all summer and so the real adjustment will be dusting off Paysinger and Herzlich on defense. Neither fourth-year player has been able to hold down a starting job, but they get the call, at least until Beason returns and rookie Devon Kennard’s hamstring heals.
“The room has gotten stronger, I’ve accepted another role, a different capacity this year,’’ said Paysinger, who started 10 games last season. “I’m not hanging my head, I’m not cursing anybody else in the room or hoping injuries or anything like that.’’
This is nothing new for McBride, who took the field in 2013 after injuries to Corey Webster and Aaron Ross and started 10 games, mostly as an outside cornerback. Thurmond was considered one of the league’s top slot corners and that’s where McBride fits best.
“I don’t feel pressure or anything like that,’’ McBride said. “It is not a good thing that Walter’s hurt, but then again on the flip side for me, I have to make sure I’m prepared and ready to go. I feel everyone on this defense knows I can play, they know it’s not gonna be a drop-off at all.’’