Giants' Malik Nabers 'a little sore,' Brian Daboll says, as rookie wideout sits out Monday's practice
Malik Nabers of the Giants runs down the field during a preseason game against the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium on Thursday. Credit: Getty Images/Mike Coppola
Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, the breakout star of Giants training camp, did not practice on Monday after suffering a sprained left ankle in practice on Sunday.
Nabers, the sixth-overall pick in the draft, is day-to-day, coach Brian Daboll said.
“[He’s] sore today,” Daboll said. “We'll back off him, take it day-to-day, but that's where we're at with him.”
Speaking on Monday morning, Daboll would not answer directly when asked what medical tests Nabers was having, if any.
“They're still doing evaluation on him,” Daboll said. “But he's a little sore today, so we'll back off him and then we'll just take it from there . . . The medical people look at them, so I'm not going to get into too much of the details. I think he's OK. He's just a little sore today.”
Most important, perhaps, was Daboll saying: “I don't think it's fractured.”
Daboll said the injury was not because of contact.
“He just twisted up a little bit,” he said. “Wasn't on contact or anything like that.”
Nabers, who has gobbled up every pass thrown his way during training camp, played 12 snaps in the Giants’ preseason opener on Thursday against Detroit and had zero targets.
The Giants have two preseason games left – on Saturday at Houston and on Feb. 24 vs. the Jets – so it would be nice to get Nabers a catch or two before the regular season, right?
“I'd say if they deem him ready to go and he feels good, we'll continue to work him and get work,” Daboll said. “Again, he's a rookie. So, if they say, ‘Give him a few days’, we'll give him a few days. But whenever he's ready, then we'll just go and practice.”
Backup quarterback Drew Lock, who did not practice because of a left hip injury suffered on Thursday, said he is feeling better. Lock didn’t rule out playing on Saturday, although it seems unlikely.
Daboll sounded as if he expects starting quarterback Daniel Jones to play against Houston. And that came before Jones threw an approximately 50-yard touchdown pass to Jalin Hyatt in one of the highlights of the two-hour practice.
“If things go the way they need to go these next couple practices, (I) plan on playing him,” Daboll said, before adding: “I think this will be a good game for DJ to get in and play against these guys.”
The Giants would like to see Jones and Nabers play a series or two together before the season starts if possible.
Lock, who said he “100%” expects to be ready by Week 1, said Nabers has caught his eye (even if Lock didn’t target Nabers vs. Detroit).
“Very impressive,” Lock said. “He's going to be a game-changer the first day he steps out there. People are going to have to worry about him. Teams are going to have to worry about him. That's going to help everybody on this team. He's been impressive. He's got a lot of work to do. He's still a rook. He's got a lot that he needs to prove. He hasn't done it on a Sunday yet, so he's got to prove that to everybody and himself, but he's a confident guy and he's ready to roll.”
How confident is Nabers? After getting injured on Sunday, Nabers did an pre-arranged interview with Kay Adams of the “Up & Adams Show” on FanDuelTV and YouTube.
Asked about his potential chemistry with Jones, Nabers said: “I just put a lot of confidence in him. I told him, ‘Every ball don’t have to be a great bal. Just put it around me.’ I’m good enough of a player to adjust my body or go get the ball. Wherever it’s at, just put the ball around me and I’m going to make this spectacular catch.”
And asked about his practice battles with Giants cornerback Deonte Banks, Nabers said: “It’s greatness versus greatness. Every time me and him are on the field, he wants to be the best. I want to be the best, for sure.”
Blue notes
Rookie CB Dru Phillips (ankle) did not practice . . . The Giants signed undrafted free agent running back Lorenzo Lingard, who had been with Jacksonville, and released running back Jacob Saylors.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
