NY Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll on WR Malik Nabers's Toe Issue

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was kept out of the team’s spring OTAs and minicamp, is “going good” and should be ready to go for training camp when it begins July 22, according to head coach Brian Daboll.

Daboll told reporters earlier this spring that Nabers was being kept out of practices due to a toe issue that dates back to the second-year receiver’s time in college. Nabers did not undergo a procedure to address the issue and was kept out of action so as not to exacerbate the issue until it was necessary.  

“Every person's at a different part in, call it rehab if you will or prehab, and we just did what we thought was best for Malik to try to get him as healthy as we can,” Daboll said Wednesday before the team wrapped up its slate of spring practices.

The decision to hold Nabers out of practice this spring initially raised a few eyebrows due to the timing. Last year’s rookie sensation only missed two games, those coming earlier in the season and due to a concussion.

Before that, Nabers missed a few days of his first NFL training camp with an ankle sprain. And although he did show up on the team’s injury report with the toe issue later in the season, the former LSU star pushed through that.

It’s unclear whether Nabers aggravated the issue at some point during the offseason or if the Giants are being ultra-conservative with such a key member of their offense. And that is part of what has raised eyebrows regarding the decision to hold the receiver out of spring practices.

“He's had some issues, like I said, in the past, in college with it,” Daboll said. “Again, that was the plan that we came up with for him and our football team.”

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Other Injury Updates

Daboll was asked about a pair of rookie draft picks, defensive lineman Darius Alexander (third round) and running back Cam Skattebo (fourth round), both of whom barely practiced this spring due to undisclosed injuries. 

“They’re progressing,” Daboll said. “Again, we got 34 days here. They'll do everything they can do to get ready, and hopefully, they'll be ready to go.”

Daboll refused to clarify whether the pair had arrived with a prior issue or if something had developed upon their arrival. 

But it’s worth noting that both players participated in the rookie minicamp last month to a certain degree, with Skattebo, who remains the last of the unsigned draft class members, having done some work in the earlier OTAs before suddenly being sidelined and completely held out of action, as has been the case of late. 

“Philosophy is if they're ready to go, they're going to be out there, and if they're not, they're going to rehab,” Daboll said.  

Other players who have missed all or part of the spring include running back Eric Gray, receiver Zach Pascal, linebackers Bobby Okereke and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, safety Antony Johnson, Jr (shoulder), and linebacker Victor Dimukeje (pec).

There was also no update on receiver Jalin Hyatt, who appeared to have strained his left hamstring in Tuesday’s practice. 

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