Malik Nabers remains sidelined from practices with the New York Giants.
The prominent wide receiver has been absent from team practices for the past 11 days, including the team’s 31-12 preseason victory over the New York Jets. While the Giants have maintained a level of discretion regarding his condition, reports suggest he is experiencing a “minor back problem,” as reported by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
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The situation was initially characterized as “typical training camp tightness,” however, the timeline for Nabers’ complete recovery is still uncertain. The Giants have one more full practice scheduled this week before their preseason finale against the New England Patriots on Thursday.
“I’m refraining from discussing specific injuries,” head coach Brian Daboll stated last week, according to ESPN. “[Nabers is] dedicated to his recovery.”
Although the exact nature of his back ailment is not yet public knowledge, Nabers has a reasonable period to prepare for the team’s regular season opener against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 7. Given his absence from practice for almost two weeks, the Giants are unlikely to expedite his return during the preseason.
This injury marks the most recent setback Nabers has encountered during the offseason. He previously dealt with a toe injury that limited his participation in the spring, and he also suffered a minor shoulder injury earlier in the summer.
Nabers accumulated 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 109 receptions last season during his initial year with the Giants, who selected him with the No. 6 overall pick from LSU. However, the Giants struggled with a 3-14 record and ultimately decided to move on from quarterback Daniel Jones during the season.
The Giants are currently planning to have veteran Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback this fall, after acquiring him with a one-year agreement earlier this summer. Although Nabers and Wilson have had limited opportunities to train together on the field recently, Nabers is expected to be Wilson’s primary target this fall. It remains to be seen whether the pair can revitalize the Giants’ offense following a challenging period.
