The health of New York Giants star WR Malik Nabers is of some consternation to Giants fans. Nabers tore his ACL back in October and has since had two surgeries on that knee — one to repair the ACL, and more recently, another to clean out scar tissue that was causing him some problems.
Nabers’ timeline is of some debate, depending on who you ask (and when). The hope for New York this whole time has been that he’ll be ready to suit up Week 1 against the Cowboys. But that second surgery complicates his timeline, and recently some Giants coaches and executives have pumped the brakes on setting a specific timeline for Nabers’ return, instead confident that he’ll be out there as soon as he’s able.
However, Giants GM Joe Schoen’s most recent comments spark considerable optimism for Nabers’ return by Week 1.
New York Giants GM Joe Schoen on Malik Nabers’ Injury Timeline
GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 28: Malik Nabers #1 of the New York Giants waves to the crowd while being carted off the field after being injured against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium on September 28, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
“I still think he’ll be fine Week 1,” Schoen told Yahoo Sports about Nabers on Monday. “So we’ll see. He’s trending in the right direction. Again, these things take time, so it’s not instant. Every patient is different.”
“On a tough call, and [Nabers] said the whole formation, motion, shift and play to a T,” Giants OC Matt Nagy said. “He doesn’t say a whole lot, but he’s listening and he’s taking it all in. I see why he’s as good as he is.”
What Will the Giants Do if Malik Nabers Isn’t Ready by Week 1?
“Do we have that true No. 1 alpha 22-year-old Malik Nabers out there if he’s not available? No, but I think there’s enough to go,” Schoen said. “There’s going to be a good competition at receiver throughout camp, but there’s enough for me from the backfield, the tight end position, there’s enough at receiver where we’ll be able to move the ball and still be a productive offense – and it’ll be a cherry on top if Malik’s out there.”
“What we’re trying to do is have them learn this offense by what we call just musical chairs, and it’s almost positionless,” Nagy added. “So we might have a tight end that runs a wide receiver route. We might have a halfback that runs a tight end. We’re moving these guys around to learn the concept.”
“If [Nabers] is ready to go Week 1, you told me that today, however it looks in between now and then, I don’t care as long as when we roll out against the Cowboys over here that he’s out and ready to go,” Schoen said. “And if it’s not? Again, I think we bought enough insurance that we’ll still be able to move the ball and be productive.”
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