To look at Limas Sweed — all 6-foot-4, 220 pounds of him — is to understand why the Steelers made the strapping wide receiver the 53rd overall pick four years ago.
To look at his meager NFL statistics and numerous trips to the trainer’s room is to understand why Sweed finds himself reduced to a tryout player in the Giants’ rookie mini-camp this weekend.
“I’m just looking for a chance,” the University of Texas product said after the first day of camp at the Meadowlands. “I know what I’m capable of doing in this league, but injuries have really held me back. But if I can stay healthy and get that opportunity, watch out.”
Although the Super Bowl champions have Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and took wideout Rueben Randle from LSU in the second round last month, Sweed still sees that opportunity with the Giants because of Mario Manningham’s free-agent exit and the top-heavy look of their receiving corps.
Sweed, who has been out of football since Pittsburgh released him last September after another stint on the injury list, also won’t have to endure his name being little more than a punch line like it quickly became with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh doesn’t miss often in the draft, but they whiffed massively with Sweed. In the rare moments when he could stay healthy, he appeared in just five games over four seasons (including one playoff trip) and caught a mere seven passes for 69 yards and no touchdowns.
As well as the frequent medical maladies, Sweed is perhaps best known in Pittsburgh for finally working his way into the lineup then promptly dropping a potential TD pass against the Bengals in Week 3 in 2009 — a miscue that resulted in a 23-20 loss.
Sweed is hoping for a fresh start here, although Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride didn’t exactly seem optimistic about his chances after the first practice.
“He looks like he’s a little bit rusty,” Gilbride said. “He’s got a ways to go in terms of sharpening some of the things he was doing in the expression of his routes, but he’s a big guy that looks like he can catch it.”
Whether the Giants give Sweed a second chance to prove he can do that remains to be seen.
bhubbuch@nypost.com
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