Giants' Malik Nabers suffers ankle sprain during training camp
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) during the New York Giants Training Camp Joint Practice with Detroit Lions at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ, Tuesday, August 6, 2024 Credit: Ed Murray
In the waning minutes of Sunday’s practice, Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers appeared to grab the top of his left foot before limping to the sideline.
Talk about a scare.
The Giants said their initial belief is that Nabers has a minor ankle sprain. Athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes was among the medical professionals who evaluated Nabers on the sideline.
A Giant since April 25, the day he was drafted, Nabers already has become one of the team’s most indispensable players. His playmaking ability has been on display at training camp, where he seems to catch every ball that comes his way.
In Thursday’s preseason opener against the Lions, Nabers was on the field for 12 snaps but wasn’t targeted on any of them.
“I did a very good job of getting open, but everything has to go my way to get the ball,” he said. “It was kind of slippery out there.”
The Giants have two preseason games remaining. It seems reasonable that Nabers could miss Saturday’s game at Houston. The Giants’ final preseason game is Aug. 24 against the Jets.
Obviously, the Giants will hope, first and foremost, that Nabers is ready for the season opener Sept. 8 against the Vikings at MetLife Stadium.
Neal back practicing
Until Nabers limped off, the biggest development Sunday was the return of right tackle Evan Neal.
Remember him?
Neal passed his physical and finally became eligible to practice during training camp.
“Now it’s the ramp-up,” Brian Daboll said, referring to the period of time that Neal will need before being ready to contribute on the field. He started with individual drills.
Drafted seventh overall in 2022, Neal has lost the left tackle position to Jermaine Eluemunor, who was acquired in free agency.
When Neal was injured, he originally was thought to have an ankle sprain. The Giants subsequently changed the official diagnosis to a fracture.
Asked if the misdiagnosis angered him, Neal told reporters that it did not.
“I have no ill will whatsoever,” he said. “The Giants’ training staff has done everything they could to help me get back healthy. Those things happen. It’s nobody’s fault.”
But Neal, who had ankle surgery on Jan. 2, did say the whole ordeal tested him.
“It was the first time I’ve ever been injured to that extent, first time getting surgery,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m built for it. I feel like I came back stronger. So if anything, I think like it helped me.”
Adding a quarterback?
Daboll also announced that the Giants don’t plan to sign another backup quarterback in light of backup quarterback Drew Lock’s oblique injury in Thursday’s game.
Daniel Jones is the Giants’ incumbent starter but has not played in a game since suffering an ACL tear in Week 9 of the 2023 season. He also is entering a crucial season; the Giants have a potential out in his contract after the 2024 season.
Blue notes
Center John Michael Schmitz returned after missing eight practices because of a shoulder injury . . . Tight ends Lawrence Cager (hamstring) and Jack Stoll (concussion) and linebacker Tomon Fox (hamstring) also practiced. Cager was having a good start to camp when he was injured. He’ll try to make up for lost time . . . The Giants signed rookie linebacker K.J. Cloyd, who was released by the Vikings on July 25 . . . Players not practicing included cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (quadriceps), safety Gervarrius Owens (knee), and linebackers Dyontae Johnson (ankle) and Carter Coughlin (quadriceps).
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
