Malik Nabers suffers concussion: When will the Giants’ star rookie wide receiver return?
While the Giants will be unhappy with their loss to the Cowboys on Thursday night, it would be safe to assume the loss of their star wideout hurts even more.
The Giants’ rookie has turned heads this season and even made history along the way. With that in mind, his absence is a void that will be very difficult to fill. As is always the case with concussions, there can be no rushing things, and therein lies the problem.
Giants lose Malik Nabers to concussion
On Thursday night, the New York Giants went down 20-15 to the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. It was a defeat that nailed the Giants to the bottom of the NFC East, putting them on a 1-3 record but it also took a lot more from a team that didn’t have it give. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, that cost came in the form of a concussion that was suffered by rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers after he landed on the sideline face-mask first while trying to make a catch in the fourth quarter.
Regarding the play itself, it was on fourth-and-6 from the Giants’ 45-yard line with 3:30 remaining. At that point, quarterback Daniel Jones dropped back in an attempt to target Nabers near the sideline. The resulting pass was marginally off which resulted in Nabers diving to try to haul it in. Sadly, the first-round pick was unable to make the catch such that it was incomplete and in so doing landed very awkwardly. Indeed, it was clear from the moment he did that something was not right.
Shortly after the game, Nabers was officially diagnosed with a concussion. Now, while it remains unclear as to how long Nabers will be out - there is the concussion protocol to consider - it’s almost certain that he will be placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games which is a significant blow to the Giants and their chances going forward.
To date, Nabers has been exceptional in what is his first season in the NFL. Against the Cowboys, he notched 12 catches for 115 yards before he was sidelined. With those numbers, his tally for the season now stands at 35 receptions for 386 yards and three touchdowns. Of course, it must be said that part of Nabers’ performances have been down to the resurgence of quarterback Daniel Jones who has developed a degree of harmony with the wideout that is something to behold. Again, there’s no telling how long Nabers will be out but rest assured the Giants will be desperate to get him back.