Malik Nabers offered New York Giants supporters a positive development Thursday when he rejoined teammates on the practice field.
The wide receiver remains uncertain about the timing of his return to regular-season action.
Nabers joined the session 10 months after tearing his ACL during Week 4 of the previous campaign. The injury forced him to miss the remainder of that year.
At 23, the standout has yet to establish a firm schedule for his next appearance in an NFL contest. He stopped short of guaranteeing readiness for the Giants’ season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13.
“There’s no target date,” Nabers said. “Just stacking days, and I’ll continue to let everybody know how I feel and when I’m able to get back out there.”
During his debut professional season, Nabers produced 109 receptions for 1,204 yards, delivering a bright spot for a Giants team that struggled overall. The ACL injury cut short his second year in October. He later underwent a follow-up procedure in May aimed at clearing scar tissue from the affected knee.
In response to the uncertainty surrounding Nabers’ status, the Giants bolstered their receiving corps by adding Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Those signings prompted questions about whether Nabers would be available at the start of the 2026 season.
Thursday marked an early milestone in the recovery process as Nabers practiced alongside his teammates for the first time in months.
“It felt good to be out there with the guys,” Nabers said. “Get a couple of throws, just move around. I never moved around in a long time, but running routes felt good out there.”
The former sixth overall draft selection plans to build further comfort on the field before deciding on a return timeline.
“If I can just keep on stacking days with the training staff and they continue to see improvements on my body, continue to see improvements on my knee and where I’m at, it just gives me more confidence to go out there and be able to play,” Nabers said.
General manager Joe Schoen similarly avoided offering any projected return windows when speaking about Nabers a day earlier.
“The medical staff has a really good plan for him, and we’re going to — always say listen to the patients,” Schoen said. “We’re going to see how he reacts. And again, we got a good plan in place, so as long as everything goes as planned, we’ll listen to Malik and his body and again, hopefully he’ll be ready and we’ll see how it plays out. But no predictions right now, just because we have a long way to go. Still a lot of camp.”
Nabers’ cautious approach reflects the careful management of a significant knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the better part of a year. The organization continues to monitor his progress closely as training camp unfolds, prioritizing long-term health over any rushed timetable.
With additional depth now in place at the position, the Giants can afford to allow Nabers the time needed to regain full strength and confidence. His presence on the practice field Thursday provided an encouraging signal, yet both the player and the front office stressed that further evaluation will dictate the next steps.
As the summer practices continue, attention will remain fixed on how Nabers responds to increased activity. The focus stays on incremental gains rather than a fixed calendar date for his return to game action.
For a franchise seeking consistency at wide receiver, Nabers’ eventual availability carries substantial importance. For now, the emphasis remains on measured progress and daily improvement under the guidance of the medical staff.
