Marcus Harris

Wide receiver Marcus Harris thought he was going in for a minor procedure that turned into a major surgery.

(John Munson | NJ Advance Media)

Wide receiver Marcus Harris thought he was going in for a minor knee scope of his right knee following Giants minicamp in June. In and out, 1-2-3 was the hope. He'd be back on the field by training camp the following month as good as new.



That plan was altered mid-surgery. The damage to Harris' knee was worse than expected. He was informed microfracture surgery was needed. It was done on the spot.



With a 5-6 months recovery time, the hard-luck Harris, affectionately known as "Soup" (short for his high school nickname of "Superstar"), was waived Wednesday by the Giants. If he's not claimed, he'll likely land on the team's injured reserve list.



It's another tough break for Harris, who was on the verge of making the roster and possibly starting last year before hip and shoulder injuries ended his campaign before it started. He also had a torn patellar tendon in his left knee (the same injury Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz suffered last season) while in high school.



Harris insists he'll overcome it like he's done all the rest. It's all part of his journey.



"No need to feel sad or sorry for me," Harris told NJ Advance Media. "I don't feel that way for myself. The pot of Soup is just at a simmer right now. It's only a matter of time until it's boiling again.



"Always going be a special place for that Big Blue nation."



Harris, 26, traveled a long, winding road (which included stops at Murray State, the UFL and AFL) before making it to the Giants. He came out of nowhere last spring and summer to make a significant impression on the team.

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One Giants source said this offseason that Harris was their top receiver last year in training camp and the preseason, even better than Cruz and Rueben Randle. He had a realistic chance to beat out Jerrel Jernigan for a starting spot on the outside. At worst, he would have entered the starting mix once Jernigan went down for the season in Week 2.



Instead, Harris surprisingly landed on injured reserve when the roster was trimmed to 53 before the season opener. He was supposed to seriously be in the wide receiver mix this summer.



"We're going to work him into the rotation right from the start," wide receivers coach Sean Ryan said last month. "The more plays he makes, the more snaps he gets."

For now, it's going to have to wait at least one more year. Despite the latest setback, Harris remains confident it will happen, even if it's not with the Giants.



"No matter where I'm at, I will continue to work my heart out," he said. "More importantly, wherever I'm at, you will know Soup is there."



Jordan Raanan may be reached at jraanan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanRaanan. Find NJ.com Giants on Facebook.