New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers says he feels “real good” ahead of the team’s Sept. 13 season opener against the Dallas Cowboys, but he remains cautious about declaring himself ready to play in Week 1.
Nabers is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season and has progressed to full practices throughout the summer. His rehabilitation has continued to move in a positive direction.
“I feel pretty good. I feel real good to be honest,” Nabers said. “Like I said, you’re going to feel good but there’s still some things that you’re going to have to check off the box for you to participate. So I’m still going through that, still listening to the trainer, still listening to doctors and sharing everything with them.”
Nabers said the final checkpoints would remain an internal matter and added that they were not anything significant. He acknowledged some uncertainty over whether he would immediately return as the same player he was before the injury, although he does not expect that to be a long-term concern.
“Will it take some time? Who knows?” he said. “But I know for sure if I’m out there, I’m going to run some routes.”
The dynamic wide receiver has participated in team drills this summer and recently stopped wearing the red no-contact jersey typically reserved for quarterbacks. Despite that progress, he has not yet confirmed that he will play against Dallas. The expectation is that he will be on the field unless he suffers a setback.
The Giants and Nabers have appeared to be preparing for the Sunday night opener against Dallas since the beginning of training camp.
“My mind is focused on playing the regular season. Playing whenever that is. Playing what[ever] team that is,” Nabers said when asked whether he was concentrating on preparing for the Cowboys. “I’m going to be making sure that I’m ready to go out there and I’m healthy enough to play all four quarters and that nobody’s got to make sure I’m not in on every play or they have to make sure I got enough snaps to play or my snaps are limited.”
“So that’s the main focus is just trying to be out there as much as I can.”
Odell Beckham Jr. makes Giants roster
Regardless of Nabers’ role in Week 1, the Giants will have Odell Beckham Jr. back at wide receiver for the first time in eight years. Beckham made the 53-man roster Sunday.
Coach John Harbaugh plans to use Beckham as part of the receiver rotation, whether he lines up as the fourth or fifth option.
“He’ll be in that receiver group,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll be rotating in different personnel groups. He’ll be playing.”
Beckham earned the role with a strong summer and said he felt unfamiliar pressure while competing for a roster spot. He had never faced that situation during his professional career.
After spending a year out of the league, making the Giants’ roster was an emotional moment for Beckham. His family had been in town to watch the final preseason game just days earlier.
“I had kind of those tears when I got back to the hotel after figuring out I’m going to be here,” Beckham said. “It’s an opportunity to rewrite some of the last bit of the chapters. Don’t know [if this is the] last year [of my career] or whatever it is, I just know I’m going to give my all.”
Beckham spent the first five seasons of his career with the Giants after New York selected him with the 12th pick in the draft out of LSU. He made an immediate impact, recording at least 1,200 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons.
Beckham achieved those milestones while wearing the No. 13 jersey, which he made famous. This summer, however, he has worn No. 3 while Jalin Hyatt has worn No. 13.
Beckham said there would be a “conversation” about the jersey now that he has made the team and Hyatt is on the practice squad.
