Star Giants rookie raises eyebrows with comments amid Brian Daboll rumors

Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper mentioned that star New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers recorded zero catches in the first half of the team's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders (7-2) on Sunday that featured the Giants using a run-heavy offensive scheme during the game's opening two quarters. 

Nabers seemed less-than-pleased when he spoke with reporters following the defeat that dropped the Giants to 2-7 on the season. 

"I don't call the plays, so I mean, I don't know," Nabers said, per the Giants' website. "When you run the clock out in the first half, you're scratching in the second half to try to score points, as many as possible. As an offense, you've got to be versatile. You've got to be able to run. You've got to be able to pass. You can't pick between half and half what you want to do. But like I said, I'm not the play-caller."

Nabers reportedly had a reputation "for being high maintenance" before Giants general manager Joe Schoen became comfortable with selecting the LSU Tigers product via the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. More recently, Nabers seemed to take a shot at quarterback Daniel Jones when the first-year pro said after he tallied four catches on eight targets for 41 yards in the Week 7 loss to the rival Philadelphia Eagles that he "was open" throughout that game. 

Nabers finished the loss to Washington with nine receptions for 59 yards.

After the Giants fell to 2-6, pass-rusher Brian Burns, star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II and rookie safety Tyler Nubin raised eyebrows when they voiced frustrations about the state of the club amid rumors suggesting that team co-owner John Mara could part ways with Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll this coming winter if Big Blue is seen as a laughingstock by Week 18. For a piece published Monday morning, Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com noted that Schoen has been responsible for multiple noteworthy draft misses during his Giants tenure. 

The Giants almost certainly will move on from Jones in March 2025. 

"You've got to build up," Nabers responded when asked if he thinks he can be part of the Giants becoming a winning franchise. "You've got to put the right people in place to be successful. You've got to get the right keys. You've got to get the right guys on the team to win. Obviously, the Commanders have done that. They've got the right guys that they want to be on the team, and they're winning."

As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Giants as 4.5-point favorites for this coming Sunday's game against the 2-7 Carolina Panthers that will take place in Germany.