The message with which the New York Giants selected Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft: no more offensive mediocrity. And Nabers lived up to the hype. After 109 catches, 1,204 yards, seven touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl nomination, the young player was everything. He didn’t just break New York’s single-season reception record; he snapped it in half and kept running. In fact, he and fellow freshman Tyrone Tracy both achieved the remarkable rookie milestone of 1,000 scrimmage yards. In the history of the league, that has only happened twice.
So, Giants fans were excited to watch their new star cook routes with Russell Wilson when OTAs and minicamp arrived this spring. Instead? All they got was silence. No catches. No sprints. Just running and a few walkthroughs. And today, the warning signs are blaring louder than MetLife.
Sports Injury Central’s Dr. David Chao claims that this isn’t your typical springtime stiffness. It’s the toe. Once more. And it’s chronic. “If you’re not on the field in June, you haven’t played football in five-plus months. If you’re not ready in five months, what’s two more months gonna do, right?” Chao gave X an explanation. “For he’s a speed, quickness, in-and-out-of-routes guy, he’s gonna need his big toe for that. And apparently that was from a college injury that’s lingered… now the word ‘chronic’ comes into play.”A big toe. Try jogging a slant route without it; it’s neither glamorous nor worthy of a headline. For a receiver whose whole game is acceleration and route precision, the concern isn’t just that he’s missed OTAs—it’s why he’s missed them.
Malik Nabers not participating in OTA’s or mini camp due to a toe injury is a HUGE red flag for @profootballdoc. He explains… pic.twitter.com/0c9ccmy42P
— Sports Injury Central (@SICscore) June 20, 2025
But Brian Daboll, the head coach, is not panicking. At least not in public. “He’s doing good. No concern,“ Daboll said, adding that the team is only exercising caution due to a toe injury that dates back to LSU. During OTAs and minicamp, Nabers did not take part in any media-accessible practices. He participated in walkthroughs and could jog without a limp. However, this wasn’t confined to Nabers; other important Giants like Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc recovery) were also limited.
The team’s strategy? Rest now and work later. On July 22, Nabers should be prepared for training camp. The catch is that Russell Wilson and Malik Nabers have yet to share a live performance. That’s not ideal for an offense that finished 31st in points per game the previous season. But despite his injury, Nabers remains the Giants’ best chance for national offensive recognition in 2025.
Giants still betting big on Malik Nabers as offensive game-changer
Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network claims that the selection was obvious: Nabers is the leading contender for Offensive Player of the Year in New York. Nabers finished in the top 10 in receptions and receiving yards last season, despite struggling with a concussion and playing quarterback roulette. His thunder was only partially stolen by Brock Bowers’ over-the-top performance with the Raiders. If not, that would have been his breakout year.
Being a wideout and winning OPOY? Not simple. Only three receivers have done it since 2000. Still, the hype isn’t totally misplaced. With even average QB play (and yes, that includes 2025 Russell Wilson), Nabers could elevate his numbers from record-breaking rookie to elite tier.
Nabers is more than just the team’s top receiver. He is the offense. Due to weak passes, poor spacing, and an offense that relied on GPS to locate the end zone, he only averaged 4.3 yards per catch last season, ranking 82nd in the league. Wilson can make Nabers deadly if he can extend the field while remaining upright. But if the toe injury lingers into training camp, chemistry suffers, and the Giants go into yet another season hoping rather than executing.
The post Giants News: Discouraging Update for Malik Nabers as NFL Expert Labels Injury ‘Chronic’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.