Malik Nabers suffered a gruesome knee injury early in the 2025 season, and nobody knows what the future holds for the former first-round pick. Selected early in the 2024 NFL Draft, the LSU product hit the ground running with a dominant rookie season. Appearing in 15 games while making 13 starts, the wideout finished his inaugural campaign with 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on 170 targets despite catching passes from a series of underwhelming quarterbacks. This strong season earned him a Pro Bowl appearance and a fifth-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Unfortunately, Malik Nabers was unable to build on his breakout rookie season, as the wide receiver suffered a torn ACL after just four games. In total, he finished the season with 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns on 35 targets and has spent the past few months recovering from the injury. While all reports indicate the recovery process hit a few bumps, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports the wide receiver will not start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Malik Nabers Not Placed on PUP List, Could Be Close to Returning
Needless to say, this is fantastic news for the New York Giants. Malik Nabers is arguably the second- or third-most important member of the team, and having him on the field will go a long way in developing former first-round pick Jaxson Dart. Now, it’s worth noting this report does not mean Nabers will practice in the next day or two, but it does suggest the former first-round pick is close to making his return.
The New York Giants desperately need Malik Nabers to get healthy, as he’s easily the best wide receiver on the team. Former second-round pick Wan’Dale Robinson stepped up in a big way last year, posting a career season while finishing the campaign with 92 receptions for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns on 140 targets. Unfortunately for the Giants, however, the wide receiver signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Aside from Nabers, the only proven receiving threats on this roster are tight end Isaiah Likely and veterans Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney. Likely should be a good add since he’s playing under his former head coach, John Harbaugh, but Slayton and Mooney are nothing more than depth options.
If he’s healthy, Malik Nabers will be the unquestioned WR1 and should have another 1,000-yard season. However, only time will tell if he can stay on the field.
