Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Giants face uncertainty around star receiver Malik Nabers’ recovery timeline with Week 1 rapidly approaching.
- General manager Joe Schoen still has $11.6 million in cap space to address a potential WR2 void before the season opener against Dallas.
- Three experienced veterans emerge as realistic solutions to bolster the passing game while Nabers works back to health.
Contrary to previous belief, the New York Giants are not entirely sure when star wide receiver Malik Nabers will be healthy enough to return for game action. New head coach John Harbaugh tap-danced around the question with reporters on Thursday.
“He’s in the middle of it. It’s such a hard thing. It’s an ACL, and whatever else he had in that knee,” Harbaugh explained. “[It’s] not a simple knee [injury], you know? He’s in the slog of it, the grind of it, I would say. He’s fighting through it, and he’s here every day working hard at it.”
When pressed on Nabers’ recovery timeline after he underwent an additional surgery last fall, he was just as hedgy.
“[It’s] just impossible to predict. I mean, the goal is to start the season and get out there sometime in training camp. That’d be the goal, and we’ll see what happens,” Harbaugh said noncommittally. “If he’s out there, great. [If] he’s not out there, great. You know, we’ll be ready to go either way.”
Giants left in a tough spot with uncertain Malik Nabers timetable
The Giants’ Week 1 matchup against the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football is approaching quickly. If second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart is expected to do battle with Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney as his top targets, newly-extended general manager Joe Schoen better start preparing his 2027 draft board already.
Or, Schoen could be proactive and utilize the $11.6 million in salary cap space the team still has and bring in an experienced veteran who can pick up the slack. No, I’m not talking about Odell Beckham Jr. but adding him would certainly be better than doing nothing and crossing fingers Nabers is healthy in September. Here are some solid options Schoen should consider.
Deebo Samuel
If the Washington Commanders really wanted him over Brandon Aiyuk, then Samuel would’ve already signed an extension with them by now. The 30-year-old may be on the other side of his peak, but his 727 yards and five touchdowns last season are nothing to turn your nose up at. He was averaging 10.1 yards per catch which is something the Giants should be desperately looking for in a WR2 right now.
Look, opposing defenses are already going to be keying in on Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. in New York’s backfield. Why not throw another curveball at them with a guy like Samuel who can torch the opposition on jet sweeps and take advantage of shallow coverages? This should’ve been a priority signing in the offseason over guys like Isaiah Hodgins and Calvin Austin III.
DeAndre Hopkins
He’s the “unc” of the league now along with Keenan Allen but that doesn’t mean DeAndre Hopkins still can’t ball out. At 33 years old he put up 330 yards and a pair of scores on just 22 catches. That’s 15 yards per grab. New York doesn’t need to ask for anything more than 500 yards and a few more touchdowns out of him with Jaxson Dart in the pocket.
Darius Slayton is also recovering from his own injury but he dropped over half of his targets last year (37-for-63). That’s unacceptable for a WR2. It shouldn’t matter if he’s 29, Slayton has been given too many chances to succeed in New York and he just hasn’t been consistent. Hopkins offers a better chance of bringing in the balls thrown to him and therefore a greater chance of being in scoring position on more drives.
Gabriel Davis
This would be a bargain bin addition for Schoen if all else fails, including Beckham Jr. Davis was a reliable option for Josh Allen in Buffalo for four seasons before deciding to branch out with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Injuries derailed his 2024 season there and his 2025 reunion with the Bills, playing just 16 of a possible 34 games. He went underutilized with both in that time, accruing just 368 yards and three touchdowns.
Something tells me John Harbaugh could unlock a revitalization for the 27-year-old in Nabers’ absence. The former Ravens head coach was burned by him multiple times when he faced off against Buffalo, so what would be stopping him from deploying that same weaponization with the Giants? He doesn’t need to be the 700-yard receiver he was with the Bills, but he’s not that far removed from that kind of campaign. Anything close to it would be most beneficial for the Giants in Nabers’ absence.
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