Malik Nabers popped up as limited on Thursday’s injury report with a groin injury that’s been nagging him all season.
This is noteworthy because the Giants’ season is over. They’re 2-10 on a seven-game losing streak.
They just lost star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (elbow) and starting tight end Theo Johnson (foot surgery) for the year. Top linebacker Bobby Okereke (back) is out.
And there are not many notable players left standing.
These are the dog-day games that are difficult to trudge through, when the temperatures drop and the fans stop coming, like this Sunday’s early afternoon start against the Saints (4-8).
Nabers, 21, who has bundled up for practice both outside and inside the past two days, is staring at five more weeks of lessons in a rookie season that has left him wanting more.
“I mean, there’s always more for me,” he said Wednesday. “I think I could be doing some amazing things right now. Is it going the way I thought it was going? No, not really. But I’m still continuing to work on trying to get that out.
“I feel like I could be doing way more than I’ve been doing so far,” he continued. “God always has a better plan for you. You’ve just got to follow the steps.”
The question persists, then, of how Nabers will handle this if the Giants go on to lose an eighth straight game on Sunday and possibly 12 straight to end the season.
Nabers said Wednesday that he is “very driven” to be part of turning this program around, even with this shorthanded group.
“If you can turn around and make something spectacular out of nothing, I like doing that,” he said. “It shows how much we rally around each other, how much we have leaders in this team and this offense. I’m trying to work on turning that narrative around.”
And his 75 catches in 10 games speaks to his No. 6 overall talent, to be sure.
He is actually on pace to break Rams receiver Puka Nacua’s rookie receptions record of 112 — although he could still lose the new record to Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who has 84 catches in 12 games.
But Nabers has worn his frustration about this season on his sleeve so far. And if the Giants continue to be non-competitive, it’s worth monitoring how the young receiver manages it.
He already blasted the Giants for playing “soft as f—” and complained about Brian Daboll not getting him the ball early enough after the 30-7 blowout loss to Tampa two weeks ago.
That happened after Nabers was a surprise non-participant due to his groin in that Friday’s practice coming out of the Giants’ bye week. He didn’t even have his helmet in his hand during the early periods.
His postgame comments earned him a visit to the principal’s office with Joe Schoen and Daboll. And while Nabers said he wished he’d expressed himself differently reflecting on it, he stood by what he said and vowed to continue to speak up when it’s warranted.
Then he made an eyebrow-raising comment after dropping two passes in the Giants’ Thanksgiving loss at Dallas.
“I don’t care about drops,” Nabers said. “It’s just a part of football. I don’t care if I drop the ball six times. Keep throwing me the ball.”
Daboll explained Nabers’ comment by citing his competitive nature.
“Malik’s a competitive young man,” the coach said. “I think having the next play mentality is something that we preach. I also think that he wants to make every play that comes his way.”
Teammate Darius Slayton said he knew what Nabers meant, but drops are also drops.
“I think it comes from the right place,” Slayton said. “But at the same time, you have to also do your best to not drop the ball, which obviously, I would know.”
Nabers clarified Wednesday that what he meant was: “I just can’t think about going into the game dropping the ball, after I drop the ball, keep it in my head like, ‘I just dropped the ball.’ I’ve just got to move forward. So that’s what I was saying.
“It’s not like I’m saying, ‘Even though I’m dropping the ball, keep throwing me the ball,’” he said. “Not selfish. What I’m saying is it’s not something that I’m thinking about in my head after I drop the ball. It’s [the] next play mentality. I could drop five footballs. And then after that, they come at me for the game winner. And then I catch the game winner. Then everybody’s happy.
“Like I said, keep trusting me.”
In fairness to Nabers, the Giants also are much further than a couple of dropped passes away from playing sound football. His drops are far down the list of the limitations holding the NFL’s worst team back.
But it will be worth watching how Nabers manages his frustration if the losing and criticism build and his association to the league’s lowest-scoring offense grates on him further.
“[I] just focus on more things you can control, my emotions, how I carry myself, character,” he said of handling the losing. “Even though these things have been going down, how you can look at you in the mirror and just try to find a way for you to help the team out, help the team figure out how to win?
Nabers was asked if he’s talked to anyone about handling the frustration.
“No, I haven’t really talked to anyone about that, no therapy or nothing,” Nabers said. “I’d rather handle stuff on my own. I know a lot of people preach that: ‘Don’t handle everything on your own.’ But that’s just kind of my way.
“That’s kind of how I get over a lot of stuff,” he added, “is just handling it on my own way.”
NUBIN, BELTON ADDED AS LIMITED
Okereke (back), Deonte Banks (rib) and Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck) did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Tackles Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) and Evan Neal (hip) were limited, although they did not do much during the open portion of practice.
Nabers, safeties Tyler Nubin (knee) and Dane Belton (hip), and defensive tackles D.J. Davidson (shoulder) and Jordon Riley (knee) were limited, as well. Quarterback Tommy DeVito (right forearm), special teams receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles) and linebacker Dyontae Johnson (ankle) were full.
SAINTS’ RUIZ UPGRADED TO LIMITED
Saints backup guard Nick Saldiveri (knee) and wideout Bub Means (ankle) did not participate Thursday. Five New Orleans players were limited: right guard Cesar Ruiz (concussion), center Erik McCoy (groin), left guard Lucas Patrick (calf), tight ends Juwan Johnson (foot) and Foster Moreau (shoulder).
Four players were full participants with injuries: defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon (Achilles), safety Tyrann Mathieu (forearm), running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) and linebacker Pete Werner (hand).