Top receiver Malik Nabers takes a 'big step' forward at Giants training camp

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Malik Nabers wore a red no-contact jersey like the quarterbacks and caught a handful of passes from them, much to the delight of the players around him.

The New York Giants' No. 1 receiver isn't full go yet, but doing that much in team drills at practice on Thursday represented the latest sign of progress in his long road back from a torn ACL in his right knee .

“Everybody was happy that he was out there because it’s a big step,” coach John Harbaugh said after what he called a no-physicality session without pads. “It’s a big step to get into team drills, so for him to do that, it was a milestone, I would say, for our team.”

The next milestone for Nabers would seem to be increased participation in 11 on 11, with the aim of getting ramped up in time for the season opener Sept. 13 at home against Dallas. For the vast majority of training camp, the 23-year-old has been doing just individual drills.

Nabers was on the field for a team workout one day earlier this month at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. But this was decidedly different.

“This was hearing a play call, getting lined up, doesn’t know what’s going on (defensively), reacting,” wide receivers coach Chad Hall said. “He wasn’t untouched. In West Virginia, that was like a glorified walkthrough. This was a lot more intense.”

Hall was on the receiving end of some unintended intensity when working on the side with Nabers trying to simulate a cornerback covering him. Nabers smacked Hall in the face with his helmet, giving him a busted lip that required stitches.

“I thought I was OK, but he looked at me and said I’m going to need some stitches,” Hall said. “Went and got some stitches real quick and came back out there.”

Hall was back to see Nabers run routes and catch throws from Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston and Brandon Allen. Harbaugh said players expressed excitement during meetings when it came up that Nabers was getting an increased role, and that was evident in the cheers from teammates.

“I know it was special for him,' Hall said. ”The whole team’s excited. After his first catch, people were hooting and hollering. But he’s grinded. He’s worked so hard to get back to this point to get back on the field. It’s still going to be slow, but it was good to see him out there and I know it’s just a confidence-builder for him."

How much, if at all, Dart and the first-team offense play in the Giants' first preseason game Saturday against Minnesota is something Harbaugh plans to make a mystery.

“You’ll see when the game comes,” Harbaugh said. “It’ll make the speculation so much more fun if you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen.”

Going into his second NFL season, Dart has struggled at times during camp and is learning a new system overseen by offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

“That is a big part of it — executing a new offense — but also a young quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “You’ve got a young quarterback who’s just in his second year and he didn’t play a whole season even last year, so he’s just getting started. And we’re going to be playing two of the best teams in our conference right out of the gates, and so we’d like to be ready for that, so that’s part of the consideration. You balance that up against the injury considerations.”

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