Less than a week removed from the start of OTAs, it was revealed that New York Giants WR Malik Nabers underwent a second surgery on his injured knee. While many feel this could be a cause for concern, one former player offered a positive spin on the situation.
During the May 14th episode of his daily talk show, longtime NFL punter Pat McAfee dove into the latest regarded Nabers. After speaking with people behind the scenes about his injury and latest procedure, he noted the Giants’ wideout could be ready to return with no setbacks in the near future.
“From who we talked to, and I assume they fell the same way, as soon as he’s able to get full extension after this, which he will be able to do, there should be no hold-backs at all,” McAfee said of Nabers. “That’s basically in a nutshell what I’ve learned about the situation.”
It’s been a long road to recovery for Nabers, as he’s been out of action since suffering an ACL tear in a Week 4 matchup against the LA Chargers.
Giants WR Malik Nabers is Still Expected to be Ready by the Start of the 2026 Season
News of a player undergoing surgery is never good, no matter the circumstance. However, even though this marks the second offseason operation on the same knee, things still seem to be on track regarding Nabers’ return.
While reporting on the Giants’ star receiver, Dan Duggan of The Athletic cited that the team isn’t altering his timeline and is expecting him to be a full go by the start of the regular season.
“The second surgery isn’t expected to impact Nabers’ recovery timeline from the torn ACL and torn meniscus he suffered in Week 4 last season,” Duggan wrote. “The Giants are still hoping their top receiver will be ready for the season opener. New coach John Harbaugh said on April 7 that Nabers’ timeline ‘is going to be more into training camp and closer to the season.’”
Training camp is expected to start towards the end of July, giving Nabers a little over two months to recover from his latest knee procedure.
NFL Insider Weighs in on Giants WR Malik Nabers
One thing going in Nabers and the Giants’ favor is that all the reporting on the situation has been positive. During his appearance on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ on May 14th, NFL insider Adam Schefter touched on when the team expects to have its standout receiver back.
“I don’t know that it was a huge setback, but it’s not something you want to have happen for a wide receiver,” Schefter said. “They’re still hopeful that he’ll be ready for opening night against the Dallas Cowboys, that Sunday night opener at MetLife Stadium.”
Squaring off against a divisional rival on primetime to open the year, the new-look Giants have an opportunity to come out and make a statement. Having Nabers in action will be crucial in doing so, as he’ll be Jaxson Dart‘s primary target in 2026.
As training camp slowly approaches, Nabers’ situation will be a key thing to monitor for the Giants moving forward.
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