Gaints News
Nabers’ Return Timeline Remains Uncertain as Giants Approach Training Camp
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers may not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who said on the John Keim Report podcast that Nabers could miss the first four to five games.
Nabers suffered a torn ACL and a partial lateral meniscus tear on Sept. 28, 2025, during a 21-18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He underwent surgery about a month later. This spring, he had a second procedure to clear scar tissue that was limiting knee extension. He has not practiced during the team’s offseason program.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh described the recovery as an ongoing process. “He’s in the middle of it. It’s such a hard thing,” Harbaugh said. “So, um, he’s in the slog of it, the grind of it, I would say. So, he’s fighting through it, and he’s here every day working hard at it.”
General manager Joe Schoen has struck a more optimistic tone. “I still think he’ll be fine Week 1,” Schoen said. “He’s trending in the right direction. Again, these things take time, so it’s not instant.”
The Giants open the season at home against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13. If Nabers is not cleared by then, New York will lean on a reshaped receiving corps. Darnell Mooney, signed in free agency, is viewed as the top candidate to absorb a larger share of targets. Darius Slayton returns as a depth option, and the team added tight end Isaiah Likely and wide receiver Calvin Austin III in free agency, plus wide receiver Malachi Fields in this year’s draft. Jalin Hyatt also remains on the roster.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart is set to enter the season as the starter. Losing his top target for an extended stretch would be a significant early-season hurdle for New York’s passing game, though Schoen said the roster has enough pieces to remain competitive in the meantime. “There’s going to be a good competition at receiver throughout camp,” Schoen said, “but there’s enough for me from the backfield, the tight end position, there’s enough at receiver where we’ll be able to move the ball and still be a productive offense.”
Before the injury, Nabers had 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns through four games in 2025. The Giants have not made an official announcement on his Week 1 status, and no roster move, such as a PUP list designation, has been confirmed as of this writing.
