Malik Nabers appears to be trending in the right direction after making his long-awaited return to the NFL in Week 1. The New York Giants wide receiver finally got back on the field against the Dallas Cowboys after nearly a year away from football, and the next challenge is determining how his body responds heading into Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.
That made Wednesday’s practice particularly important for Nabers. After taking his first real NFL game snaps since suffering a torn ACL and meniscus last season, the Giants needed to see how the star receiver looked coming out of that workload. So far, the early signs are encouraging.
Head coach John Harbaugh provided an update on Nabers after practice and indicated that the wide receiver looked good. While Harbaugh admitted he had not spoken directly with Malik about how he felt, the feedback from the training staff was positive and the WR was able to take part in practice.
John Harbaugh gives encouraging Malik Nabers injury update
John Harbaugh was asked directly how Malik Nabers looked during Wednesday’s practice, and the Giants coach delivered a positive assessment based on what he saw and what the trainers told him.
“I think good. I haven’t really asked him directly, but the trainers said he looked good. He was out here today. He looked good. So, it looked like it was an A, I would say, but you should ask him. Seemed good, though.”
That update is significant because Nabers is entering a very different week than the one before the season opener. Before facing Dallas, there were still major questions about whether his surgically repaired knee would be ready for the intensity and physicality of an actual NFL game. Nabers ultimately played and finished with six receptions for 69 yards in the Giants’ 28-20 victory.
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Now, the Giants have their first real evidence of how Nabers responds after playing at NFL pace. His participation in practice and Harbaugh’s positive assessment suggest there has not been an obvious setback following his return, although the team will continue monitoring him throughout the week.
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Nothing from Harbaugh’s latest comments officially guarantees that Nabers will play Monday night, but the direction of the update is encouraging. The biggest concern surrounding his return was always going to be how his knee responded once he went through a full-speed regular-season game, rather than simply how he looked during controlled practices.
Nabers also made it clear before his return that he did not want to jeopardize the rest of his career by rushing back too soon. That caution made his successful Week 1 return especially important, and the Giants can now evaluate his progress based on actual game experience rather than speculation about how his body might react.
For now, everything appears to be on track for Nabers to have another opportunity against the Rams. The Giants will still have to make an official decision later in the week, but after getting through his first NFL game back and then looking good in Wednesday’s practice, the signs are pointing toward the star receiver remaining available for Monday night.
