John Harbaugh has provided another encouraging update on Malik Nabers ahead of the New York Giants’ highly anticipated Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys. The star wide receiver was once again a full participant in practice Thursday, another major step in his recovery from the serious knee injury that kept him out for nearly a year.
Nabers has been trending in the right direction throughout the summer, but the Giants have consistently refused to put an official date on his return. That approach has continued this week, with Harbaugh making it clear that the team will make the final decision based on how Nabers feels and whether he is truly ready for game action.
Still, another full practice is difficult to ignore. Nabers has now given the Giants every reason to believe he can be on the field against Dallas, and the biggest question may no longer be whether he is ready to play, but how much work the coaching staff will give him in his first game back. The Giants are understandably unlikely to take unnecessary risks with their most important offensive weapon.
Malik Nabers’ injury update for Giants vs Cowboys
For now, all signs point toward Malik Nabers making his return against Dallas, even though Harbaugh has not officially confirmed it. The Giants’ head coach previously said Nabers looked ready to go, but he also stressed that the final decision would depend on the receiver’s condition when Sunday night arrives.
The potential workload is therefore becoming the intriguing part of Nabers’ situation. After suffering a torn ACL last season and going through a lengthy recovery, the Giants could choose to ease him back into action rather than immediately giving him a normal workload. Nabers himself has previously indicated that he does not want to return on a snap count, but the final decision will belong to Harbaugh and the medical staff.
The Giants also have enough receiving options to avoid forcing Nabers into an enormous role immediately. Odell Beckham Jr., Malachi Fields and Darnell Mooney give Jaxson Dart other weapons in the passing game, allowing New York to manage Nabers’ workload if necessary. Still, having their No. 1 receiver available would be a massive boost for the Giants as Harbaugh prepares for his first regular-season game against Dallas.
