Malik Nabers addresses 'pressure' ahead of Daniel Jones' pivotal season

While New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen actively explored acquiring a replacement for starting quarterback Daniel Jones via the 2024 NFL Draft, Schoen ultimately spent the sixth pick of the draft on LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers in part to see if Jones' Giants tenure can be salvaged. 

During a Tuesday appearance on New York sports radio station WFAN, Nabers spoke about the expectations hovering over him heading into his first pro season. 

"I feel it, but it’s not pressure to me," Nabers explained, as shared by Lou DiPietro of Audacy. "I’ve been through pressure my whole life and made it out the same, so it’s just more pressure on myself because I want to see myself succeed." 

Nabers has teased with his practice performances that he can succeed while catching passes thrown by Jones, primary backup Drew Lock or QB3 Tommy DeVito. That's important considering the Giants could bench Jones at any point this fall and then move on from him early next year. 

For now, Nabers is working on building chemistry with Jones ahead of New York's Week 1 game versus the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8.

"It’s just about knowing him, because it’s a different arm, different rhythm, different spin on the ball, and I'm a different route runner than he's had," Nabers said about playing alongside Jones. "So it’s really about that key element of trying to get on time knowing each other, and the relationship has just been absolutely great." 

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Nabers tied for fourth among the betting favorites at +1100 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. How Nabers reacts to daily challenges thrown out by head coach Brian Daboll could determine if the 21-year-old stays in OROTY conversations throughout the season. 

"Every day, he’s gonna test my ability in studying because he wants to see if I've actually been studying," Nabers said about Daboll. "If you're not studying, he can't trust you, so he might throw in some plays, be like, 'Go do it.' I probably never ran it, but I know what I gotta do because I know the concepts of the route."

Nabers should open Week 1 as Jones' favorite target, and Daboll suggested on Tuesday the first-year pro will be a big part of the Giants pushing the ball down the field more this fall than they did last season. 

Schoen and Daboll seemingly hope Nabers can help Jones be the quarterback they thought he'd become when he signed a four-year contract back in March 2023, but the rookie ultimately could have a role in the Giants determining Jones isn't their long-term answer at the sport's most important position.