John Harbaugh is just like all of us when it comes to Malik Nabers and his long-awaited return from injury
The Giants head coach is obviously excited about what the young offensive weapon brings to the table when fully healthy.
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers returned to team drills in practice on Monday after suffering a torn ACL last season, participating in those for the first time while wearing a non-contact jersey. The 23-year-old caught three passes during the session, including a leaping 20-yard reception, providing a significant boost for a Giants’ offense that desperately needs its top playmaker back on the field.
Nabers’ sophomore season was limited to just four games after the knee injury derailed what had been a promising follow-up to his fantastic rookie campaign. In that first year, Nabers caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, he managed 18 receptions, 271 yards, and two touchdowns before the injury shut him down.
Harbaugh can’t contain his excitement
Giants head coach John Harbaugh was asked during Monday’s press conference what it felt like to have Nabers back in team drills, and his response captured what every football fan has been feeling about the young receiver’s return. John Harbaugh is just like all of us when it comes to Malik Nabers and his long-awaited return from injury.
“What was it like? You tell me,” Harbaugh said. “It was great, huh? Were you happy to see it? We all were, right? Yeah, he looked good. He was in the team periods, he was in the non-contact jersey. The guys did a good job of respecting that and everything, had a few catches, and it was a good start.”
Nabers remains one of the premier young receivers in the NFL, and seeing him take reps in both 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills represented a meaningful step forward in his recovery.
The Week 1 question
Harbaugh also acknowledged that while Nabers looked good, there is still a process to follow before he can be cleared for full participation and game action.
“I thought he looked good,” Harbaugh added. “I don’t think he’s full speed yet or anything, but thought he looked good. I think we’ve just got to go with the process. I mean, you can’t really say, you can hope. Sure, I hope he’s out there. I’m praying for it, certainly, but we’ll see.”
That final portion of Harbaugh’s comments addressed the possibility of Nabers being available for the Giants’ Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13 on “Sunday Night Football.” Because Nabers has not yet had any contact in practice, it remains unclear whether he will be ready for that opener.
If Nabers can suit up for Week 1, it would be massive for the new coaching staff. Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy are building an offense that looks entirely different from what New York ran in previous seasons, and having a talent like Nabers available from the start would give them a legitimate No. 1 target from the get go.
