On Tuesday, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll shared that veteran Russell Wilson has “had a very positive impact on” second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers since the start of springtime workouts.
On Wednesday, Nabers spoke with reporters about how he’s working on being more vocal as a leader following chats he’s had with Wilson.
“It’s just being more vocal about getting guys ready to go or making sure we’re on the right path to what we want to accomplish, and I have to sometimes get out of my mode,” Nabers explained, per the Giants’ website. “I talk to myself a lot. I talk to myself in my head, and I’m always quiet a lot, so sometimes I have to step outside of those boundaries and get guys riled up and get them going, get my receiver group going, and that’s just a part of being a leader and wanting to be better for my team.”
Few would question Nabers’ on-the-field abilities after the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign. Per ESPN stats, he ended last season ranked fifth in the league with 109 receptions and seventh with 1,204 receiving yards. Additionally, he tallied seven touchdown catches over 15 games.
That said, the Giants seemingly lacked locker-room leadership last fall after general manager Joe Schoen let star running back Saquon Barkley reach free agency in March 2024. The Giants hope that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will eventually emerge as the CEO of the New York offense after he spends time serving as a backup and learning from teammates such as Nabers and Wilson.
“I think Malik’s done a great job, just his leadership, his voice in the film room too,” Wilson said about Nabers on Wednesday. “He’s done a great job with that. …He’s really just stepped into that role, the leadership role.”
Of course, Nabers finding his voice as a leader won’t mean much if he and Wilson fail to connect for big plays when the Giants open the regular season with a matchup at the Washington Commanders on Sept. 7. On Wednesday, Nabers praised Wilson for being able to drop deep passes “right in the bucket” where “only his receiver can catch the ball.”
Wilson hitting Nabers with such passes early and often could ensure that Dart remains on the sidelines through a significant portion of the upcoming season.
