New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers took a significant step in his recovery from a torn ACL and meniscus injury by participating in 11-on-11 drills during practice on Thursday. Nabers, who has been sidelined since Week 4 of last season, wore a red non-contact jersey, allowing him to engage in drills without full physical contact. Head coach John Harbaugh described the practice as a "timing practice" with "no physicality allowed." ManaThe increased activity, however, led to an inadvertent collision between Nabers and his receiver coach, Chad Hall. While practicing releases off the line of scrimmage, both turned their heads in the same direction, resulting in Nabers' helmet striking Hall, who required stitches on the field. Hall reported that his lip was busted and he had dried blood on his teeth, calling it a "small price to pay" for Nabers' progress.
"He looks great. He’s more confident," Hall said of Nabers. "He was just as excited as the whole team was to see him out there making some plays, getting pushed on a little bit."
Nabers was involved in individual drills and offensive installation periods previously, but Thursday marked his first participation in a three-quarter speed 11-on-11 situation. During this period, he caught a pass on each of his first four snaps. This progression follows a similar period in West Virginia where Nabers was cleared for slower-speed drills, which was perceived as a precursor to Thursday's more intense session.
"This was hearing a play call, getting lined up, doesn’t know what’s going on (defensively), reacting," Hall explained. "He wasn’t untouched. In West Virginia, that was like a glorified walkthrough. This was a lot more intense."
Harbaugh referred to Thursday's practice as a "big step" and a "milestone" for Nabers, who has been working toward his return for six to nine months. The team is targeting Nabers' potential return for Week 1 against the Cowboys. "The players were excited when we talked about it in the meeting this morning," Harbaugh added.