Insiders offer big updates on Giants' Malik Nabers injury scare

Pockets of New York Giants fans likely feared the worst when they learned that second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers exited Tuesday's training-camp practice with an apparent shoulder injury. 

NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo later reported that Nabers "appears to be OK." On Tuesday afternoon, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports revealed that "the Giants don’t appear too concerned about" Nabers' shoulder. 

"The team is off [Wednesday]," Vacchiano added about the Giants. "Next chance to see if [Nabers will] practice is Thursday morning."

Per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post, Nabers seemed to pick up the knock while blocking on a run play during team drills. He then walked off the practice field with head trainer Ronnie Barnes and did not return. 

Despite Vacchiano's update, it's likely that head coach Brian Daboll won't rush Nabers back for a practice on the final day of July unless the 22-year-old's shoulder feels 100 percent at that time. As Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com noted, the Giants lack top-tier targets in the passing attack outside of Nabers. Additionally, Nabers is attempting to manage a lingering toe issue that may eventually need to be repaired via surgery. 

According to ESPN stats, Nabers ended his rookie season ranked fifth in the NFL with 109 receptions and seventh with 1,204 receiving yards. The sixth overall pick of last year's draft, who missed a pair of games due to a concussion, also tallied seven touchdown catches over 15 contests. 

Despite such production from Nabers, the Giants finished this past season ranked 30th in the league with an average of 294.8 offensive yards per game and 31st with an average of 16.1 points scored per contest. As much as Daboll and Co. believe that new starting quarterback Russell Wilson will be an upgrade over what Daniel Jones offered the 2024 Giants, Wilson may only be able to get so much out of an offense that's without Nabers for any meaningful games later this year. 

For now, the Giants will hope that some rest and recovery will have Nabers as good as new at some point before Big Blue dives into preparations for its preseason opener at the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 9.