Cruz set to take field for first time since ’14

For the first time in 22 months, Victor Cruz will slip on his familiar No. 80 jersey and play in a game. “I’m ready,’’ Cruz said. This is a huge deal for Cruz, for the Giants, for Eli Manning, for everyone associated with a team — and fan base — that quickly came to adore and embrace the salsa-dance touchdown celebrations, the rags-to-riches story of the kid from Paterson, N.J., thrown out of U Mass, undrafted, squeezing onto the roster as an unknown receiver who showed all the right moves back in the summer of 2010, announcing his presence with a resounding three-touchdown performance against the Jets in a preseason game to burst onto the stage.

How fitting is it that Cruz makes his return Saturday night against the Jets in a preseason game that will go a long way in determining if he can finalize this comeback and once more be a meaningful component in the offensive machinery?

“Story of my life, I guess,’’ Cruz said. “You can’t write it any better than this. This is the way my career has gone. This is the way my professional career has gone. The Jets preseason game has always been some type of landmark situation for me, and here we go again.’’

Cruz has not played in a game since Oct. 12, 2014, when he went up for a pass and crumpled to the turf in Philadelphia, his right knee shredded with a ruptured patella tendon. After a grueling and arduous rehab, Cruz was set to return in 2015 but a nagging issue with his left calf turned into a season-wrecking injury that required surgery to repair.

It will be 685 days between games for Cruz when he hits the field at Met Life Stadium on Saturday. An eternity, Cruz admitted.

“For the lack of better words, yes, feels like a long time since I’ve been out there,’’ said Cruz, who was in uniform last week in Buffalo but did not play. “You know, last week was kind of fun for me to dress up, and obviously not play, but to warm up with my team and to put that jersey on again, and to feel like an athlete again. It was a good feeling, and now it comes to life this time.’’

Ben McAdoo in his first year as head coach has played it cautious, making sure not to sound too positive as Cruz navigated his way through training camp, suffered a setback when he was sidelined with a sore groin and the slow, steady climb back to health.

McAdoo is not hiding his feelings any longer.

“Very optimistic,’’ he said about Cruz playing Saturday night. His reasoning? “He got through a good practice on our Wednesday practice on Tuesday,’’ McAdoo said. “[Wednesday] he got through a three-hour practice in good shape. When he first got out here this week, he showed a burst and showed some acceleration, he can put his foot in the ground. He had a really nice release on a slant, which reminded me of the Houston game a few of years ago, so it is encouraging.’’

Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, who was with the Giants for Cruz’s glory years, said watching him on the practice field this week gave him visions of 2011 — when Cruz had 82 receptions for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns, including that famous 99-yarder in the regular season against the Jets.

Manning said he thought Cruz this past week in practice looked “explosive, fast and healthy.’’

Cruz, 29, admitted “there will be butterflies, there will be anxiety’’ when he finally gets to play. This is preseason game No. 3 for the Giants but, in some ways, the restarting of a career for Victor Cruz.

“Absolutely, I think this one is more [than] just the game,’’ Cruz said. “This one is crossing so many hurdles, so many barriers. So many ups and downs that I had to face to get to this moment. Now, I’m just ready to relax and go play some football again. To me, this game is bigger than just the game. Although it’s just a preseason game, for me, mentally and emotionally, physically, it’s more than just a football game.’’