Giants Draft Latest: Styles, Downs, Love, Ioane, Fano, Tyson, Trade
For the second time in four years, the Giants hold two top-10 picks in a draft. Joe Schoen‘s first draft did not maximize the value at Nos. 5 and 7, where Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal arrived. If the GM is to save his job, he will need to serve as a meaningful contributor while a John Harbaugh-fronted regime navigates the Nos. 5 and 10 overall selections.
The Giants obtained No. 10 from the Bengals for Dexter Lawrence. While that haul surprised some Giants decisionmakers, the team bungling the Neal pick reminds how having such meaningful draft real estate can backfire. Several possibilities certainly exist for Big Blue near the top of this draft.
A path where the Giants grab Sonny Styles at No. 5 and emerge from No. 10 with another offensive line starter should be considered in play, according to SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. A GM informed La Canfora that Styles will not be available by No. 10, so if Harbaugh wants a Roquan Smith-type linebacking anchor, the Giants would need to pull the trigger at 5.
Likely set to be the highest ILB drafted since the Buccaneers chose Devin White fifth overall in 2019, Styles has been connected to the Titans at No. 4. With the Jets down to Arvell Reese and David Bailey and the Cardinals not tied to Styles much, it would seemingly be down to Tennessee passing to greenlight a Giants pick.
The Giants have two locked-in tackle starters, in Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, but their guard posts do not feature a long-term piece. Although Jon Runyan Jr. came up as a cut candidate months ago, he remains on the roster. The former Packer is entering the final season of a three-year, $30MM contract and may not be a roster lock, and the team signed ex-Raven (one of many brought in under Harbaugh) Daniel Faalele to go with Lucas Patrick. Those players could be swing options, however, and La Canfora hears Harbaugh “loves” Penn State guard Vega Ioane.
Ioane has been linked to Baltimore at No. 14, where Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft sent him. Prior to the Lawrence trade, Ely mocked Francis Mauigoa to New York at No. 5. The Giants have an interesting opportunity to add a quality O-line option thanks to holding a second first-rounder, and Ioane should remain on the board by No. 10. Kadyn Proctor and Spencer Fano, two tackle prospects who could slide to guard (joining Mauigoa in that regard), also are believed to be on the Giants’ radar, per La Canfora.
Wide receiver should also be considered a factor for the Giants, especially at No. 10. They have been linked closely to Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson, and ESPN.com’s Dan Grazino adds more fuel to the Tyson-to-New York fire by noting the team indeed is fond of the injury-prone Arizona State talent. Tyson has been one of the pre-draft process’ late climbers, as his recent workout showcased upside Tate may not carry. Tate is viewed as a safer prospect, however.
Another scenario for New York may feature Tyson at 10 — if he is still available — but Caleb Downs over Styles at 5, with Graziano adding multiple sources have informed him the Giants would be likely to take the ex-Buckeyes safety over the linebacker if both are available. Downs has been linked to the Giants for weeks, and the Ravens certainly valued the safety position — from Ed Reed to Eric Weddle to Earl Thomas to Kyle Hamilton — under Harbaugh.
A wrench in this plan exists at running back, though. Interest in Jeremiyah Love could prompt the Giants to table a defensive pick and go for the dual-threat Notre Dame RB prospect, with Graziano noting Love will be squarely in play — perhaps even over Downs — if he’s still available at 5. Some in the Giants’ building are holding out hope for Love at 5, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, with ESPN colleague Jordan Raanan finding it difficult to envision the team passing. Love would mark the organization’s second top-five RB investment in nine years. A Saquon Barkley ceiling is uncertain here, but teams have been rewarded for recent first-round RB picks — as possible 2023 extension recipients Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs highlight.
While Fowler also points to the Giants closely eyeing an O-line upgrade at No. 10 in the event Downs is the pick at 5 — mentioning Fano and Ioane — EssentiallySports.com’s Tony Pauline offers more on the receiver front. A concern exists Malik Nabers may not be 100% by Week 1, and Pauline goes as far as to say the Giants “will” use the No. 10 choice on a receiver.
Short-term Nabers concerns would not be a great reason to make a long-term WR investment with such a high pick, though if Tyson or Tate ends up being higher on New York’s board compared to Fano or Ioane, pairing Nabers with one of them makes sense. Tate may be unlikely to fall past New Orleans at No. 8, however. Pauline also cites a source close to Ioane who believes No. 10 might be a bit early for the draft’s top guard prospect to go.
Trading down would represent another route here, and we heard the Giants were open to moving back from No. 5 a bit ago. The New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy hears the Giants would be willing to make a small move back from No. 5 to obtain more Day 2 capital. New York traded its third-round pick to climb up for Jaxson Dart last year. A scenario in which the Cardinals take Love at No. 3 leaving the Titans with a Styles-or-EDGE selection could accelerate Giants trade talks, and either Bailey or Reese remaining on the board at 5 could prompt a trade-up — as the Giants are not in need of OLB help.
As if we aren’t deep enough in this web — big night, Giants fans — Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer is iffy the Giants would use the No. 5 pick on Downs. But the veteran insider confirms the team’s interest in Tyson (who dined with Schoen while the latter was in town for his workout). No. 5 might not even be too high for Tyson, though that would be higher than expected.
The Giants view Tyson as “so dynamic,” Glazer adds. He posted a 1,100-yard season in 2022 but has suffered major knee and collarbone injuries prior to multiple bouts with hamstring trouble. Odell Beckham Jr. comparisons have also emerged here. Were Tyson to become a Giant, a Beckham reunion may not come to pass.
Giants Eyeing Trade-Down Move From No. 5; Other Teams Interested In Trading Back
Closely connected to Jeremiyah Love and Caleb Downs at No. 5 overall, the Giants are launching a new regime centered around John Harbaugh. Coming off a 3-14 season and not entering free agency as one of the most cap-rich teams, the Giants still have holes to fill.
New York also does not hold a third-round pick, trading it to the Texans in the deal that gave New York Jaxson Dart access last year. The Giants are (again) in prime position to snare one of the top talents in a draft class. This is certainly not atypical, as the Giants have walked out of recent drafts with Abdul Carter, Malik Nabers, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Andrew Thomas and Saquon Barkley. They also made two more top-10 picks in this span, selecting Daniel Jones and Evan Neal. This brigade of high-level prospects has not mattered much for Big Blue in the grand scheme.
Harbaugh represents the latest organizational pivot, as the team hopes an experienced leader can help put pieces together in a way the recent run of less seasoned coaches could not. The Giants could land yet another upper-crust prospect, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes a belief exists the team would prefer to trade down a few spots to accumulate more draft capital.
The Giants hold Nos. 5 and 37 but do not pick again until No. 105. While they have been tied to Love, Downs, Sonny Styles and Carnell Tate, Raanan adds cornerback is a position where the team is doing homework. LSU’s Mansoor Delane visited the Giants on Thursday, and they are digging into Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy as well. McCoy missed all of last season with an ACL tear but has rehabbed to the point he will be ready to go as a rookie. McCoy clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash time at the Volunteers’ pro day and is expected to be drafted by the middle of Round 1 at the latest.
Neither player profiles as one requiring an investment at No. 5, however, and the Giants could be angling to find teams interested in climbing up for a prospect in an effort to recoup a Day 2 pick or two. We are, of course, in prime smokescreen season. The Giants are obviously far from certain to move down and pass on one of this draft’s top prospects, and the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy adds Love and Downs (in that order) may be the top players in the team’s draft queue. We heard Giants-Love connections earlier, with Downs and Styles also drawing extensive attention from the team — as Harbaugh’s former club valued the safety position highly.
New York gave Paulson Adebo a three-year, $54MM deal in free agency last year and signed Greg Newsome to a one-year, $8MM pact last month. Newsome profiles as more of a stopgap than a Cordale Flott successor, and the Giants look to have missed on 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks. Adebo being brought in before Harbaugh’s staff arrived also probably affects the team’s CB interest in this draft.
The Giants also might not find too many teams with appetites to surrender assets and move up. With no quarterback beyond Fernando Mendoza compelling teams to consider big-ticket trade-up offers and the likes of Love, Styles and Downs at non-premium positions, there might be a shortage of trade action early. The teams that follow the Raiders in the top five — the Jets, Cardinals, Titans and Giants — are believed to be interested in moving down to add assets, SI.com’s Albert Breer said in an interview with The Ringer’s Todd McShay, but trade partners are not plentiful right now.
Drafting Love, Styles or Downs this high do not bring the type of contractual advantage identifying a top-shelf pass rusher, wide receiver or tackle — positions usually populating this draft space — would provide. And trading assets to acquire one of these players compounds this issue, potentially creating a scenario in which we do not see much trade action early. Breer adds the trade movement in this year’s draft may begin around No. 10.
It is obviously not a lock the draft will play out this way, and veteran insider Jordan Schultz has been told this could be a trade-heavy draft. Schultz points to a potential “flurry” of activity in the first half of Round 1, citing sources informing him of modest depth in the later rounds. While it is true the present college landscape keeping players in school longer has depleted draft classes — with mid-20-somethings populating the later rounds and UDFA classes — others have spoken of this class’ depth at certain positions.
It will be interesting to hear if more trade chatter picks up over the next two weeks. That is generally the case, and even without a quarterback driving action (as Drake Maye did with the Giants and Vikings in 2024), trade buzz promises to pick up in the coming days.
Malik Nabers Not Expected To Begin Giants Training Camp On Time
One of the reasons that John Harbaugh took the Giants’ head coaching gig was his excitement about the young talent on their roster. However, he will have to wait a while longer for two of those players to be healthy enough to join the rest of the team on the field.
Wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo were both present for the start of the Giants’ offseason program this week, but both are still rehabbing from major injuries that ended their 2025 seasons. Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee in Week 4; Skattebo suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in Week 8.
Harbaugh indicated that Skattebo would be on the field “at some point” for spring practices, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Any OTA or minicamp participation from the second-year running back would be a good sign for his ability to take the field at the start of training camp.
Skattebo is ahead of Nabers, who will be back “closer to the season,” Harbaugh added. His pronouncement somewhat contradicts general manager Joe Schoen‘s previous prediction that Nabers would be “ready for training camp.”
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart may not have his top wideout and running back on the practice field at the beginning of OTAs, but he will be able to start building chemistry with free agent signing Darnell Mooney. The veteran wide receiver signed in New York for a one-year, $3MM contract that includes another $7MM in incentives, which range across a number of categories, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Mooney can earn $250K for playing at least 75% of the Giants’ offensive snaps. $375K is available for eclipsing 35 receptions, which increases every 10 with a maximum of $2.5MM for 75 catches or more. The same is true for receiving yards, starting at $375K for 450 yards and increasing every 150 with up to $2.5MM available for recording at least 1,050 yards. Mooney will also receive $375k for three touchdowns, $750K for five, $1.25MM for seven, and $1.75MM for nine or more.
Mooney did not hit any of these numbers in 2025, a down year for the veteran receiver, so all of his incentives are considered Not Likely To Be Earned. They will not count against this year’s salary cap, and if Mooney hits any of them, the Giants will be charged on next year’s cap.
Giants’ Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo Undergo Surgeries
Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has impressed since he took the reins from veteran Russell Wilson in Week 4, but injuries will deprive the first-rounder of a couple of key weapons early in his career.
Star wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending ACL tear and a partially torn meniscus in Dart’s first start. Rookie running back Cam Skattebo, a fourth-rounder and a member of the same draft class as Dart, then went down with a brutal ankle injury in a loss to the Eagles last Sunday. Like Nabers, Skattebo is done for the year. Both players have taken important steps in their recoveries this week.
Nabers underwent knee surgery on Tuesday, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reports. The second-year man waited a month to have surgery, though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes that’s common. The hope is the delay will lead to an easier rehab, per Rapoport, who says Nabers “should be good to go for next season.”
Even if New York is confident in an early 2026 return for Nabers, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team make significant moves to address its receiving corps before then. Darius Slayton, who re-signed on a three-year, $36MM deal last March, joins Nabers as the Giants’ only proven receivers under contract in 2026. Wan’Dale Robinson is the leader among Giants wideouts in catches, targets, yards, and touchdowns in 2025, but he’s due to reach free agency in the offseason.
Along with recording solid production on the ground (410 yards and five touchdowns on 101 carries), the hard-running Skattebo provided the Giants a viable pass-catching threat. He chipped in 24 receptions, 207 yards, and two more scores in his first eight games. Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary will have to pick up the slack in his absence.
In addition to dislocating his ankle, Skattebo fractured his fibula and suffered a deltoid ligament rupture, according to Rapoport. While that sounds catastrophic, he and the Giants avoided a worst-case scenario. The 23-year-old underwent successful surgery and should only require about six months to recover. That would put Skattebo on track for OTAs and minicamp, which would be a positive outcome for him and the team.
Giants Seeking ‘Big’ WR Addition?
The Giants are without Malik Nabers for the season’s remainder, and they faced the Eagles without Darius Slayton. While New York managed to upset Philadelphia anyway, the team has Jaxson Dart‘s development to consider.
We heard recently the Giants have done due diligence on a wide receiver trade ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline, but they may be aiming higher than previously known. The team is believed to be going “big-game hunting” at the position, SNY.tv’s Connor Hughes notes.
With an eye on accelerating Dart’s progress, per Hughes, Joe Schoen appears interested in conducting a thorough investigation of the market. The Giants retained their first-round pick in the Dart trade, giving up their 2026 third-rounder in a deal that also cost them a 2025 second, and hold picks in Rounds 2, 4, 5 and 6 in next year’s draft.
One of the NFL’s most consistently subpar teams over the past decade, the Giants have made a few seller’s trades at the deadline. They made an exception in 2019, adding Leonard Williams despite sitting in a clear seller’s position. That turned out to be a solid move, as Williams became an impact defender with the Giants during a four-year period. Williams was a rental at the time, but the Giants slapped the franchise tag on him in 2020. They retagged him in 2021, leading to a player-friendly extension days later.
It would stand to reason the Giants will be interested in adding a wideout with some more control left on his contract. Although it is not known specifically who the team is targeting, Hughes names Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle and Jakobi Meyers as potential options. Each is attached to teams expected to sell, and both Olave and Waddle are signed beyond 2025 (Meyers is in a contract year). Though, other teams will surely be in on all three — if any is indeed dangled in trades — and it would take plenty to pry Olave from New Orleans or Waddle from Miami.
The Dolphins have been resistant to moving Waddle in the past, keeping him off the table during Jonathan Taylor talks in 2023, and are expected to cut Tyreek Hill in 2026. That would make Waddle’s presence more important. New Orleans picked up Olave’s fifth-year option and have seen him bounce back from a concussion-marred 2024 season. The Saints are prepared to listen in an effort to accumulate draft capital, however. The team did not budge on Olave over the summer.
The Giants re-signed Slayton on a three-year, $36MM deal in March; they have Wan’Dale Robinson in a contract year. While Jalin Hyatt is signed through 2026, the former third-round pick has not shown much as a pro. Nabers’ rookie pact runs through 2027, and barring major complications on his ACL recovery, that deal should be expected to be pushed through 2028 via the fifth-year option. Before a fifth-year option is factored into the Dart equation, the QB’s rookie accord runs through 2028.
Nabers has not undergone surgery yet, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo indicating the standout receiver is building strength and mobility around the torn ligament first. The surgery will take place in the coming weeks. This timetable reminds of Saquon Barkley‘s in 2020, when weeks passed between the then-Giants RB’s ACL tear and surgery. As of now, a return by training camp is expected.
MetLife Turf Played Role In Jalen Carter’s Week 6 Absence
MetLife Stadium, home of the Giants and the Jets, has once again entered the spotlight due to injury concerns about its turf.
Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending knee injury during a Week 4 game at home after landing awkwardly on the field, re-igniting players’ objections to MetLife’s playing surface.
Then, this past week, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was a surprise inactive for a visit to MetLife Stadium on Thursday Night Football. The turf “played a part” in Carter’s decision to sit out, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Carter is the first player known to specifically avoid playing a game at MetLife, though other players may have made similar choices in the past. Future game day inactives at MetLife may draw questions about the turf’s influence in their decision not to play.
Those events fueled a widespread belief among players that grass is safer to play on than turf. One team is “petrified” of playing at MetLife, with an executive noting that players may be less inclined to play through injury when visiting the New York teams. Leaguewide, more than 90% of players have said they prefer grass in the last two NFLPA surveys, according to The Athletic’s Diana Russini. Of particular confusion is the decision by several stadiums to switch from turf to grass for upcoming soccer tournaments with plans to switch back to turf for football.
However, injury data from the league tells a different story. Since installing a new FieldTurf Core system in 2023, injuries have at MetLife have decreased; last year, it had one of the lowest injury rates in the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Research from the Jets indicates that players have suffered more knee ligament or Achilles tears on grass compared to turf fields, and league data also shows that lower-extremity injuries are actually less common at MetLife.
NFLPA executive director David White mentioned players’ concern about MetLife’s turf to the Giants during a pre-planned visit that took place after Nabers’ injury, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Still, neither the NFL nor either of the home teams plan to make any changes to the playing surface at MetLife, though it seems to be a point of contention that players will continue to raise.
Malik Nabers To Undergo ACL Surgery; Giants WR Expected To Be Cleared For Training Camp
Malik Nabers‘ second season with the Giants came to an abrupt end in Week 4. The Giants’ leading wideout suffered an ACL tear, setting him up for a lengthy road to recovery.
The rehab process will begin shortly. Nabers’ surgery is expected to take place this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The procedure will address the ACL tear but also the fact the 22-year-old tore his meniscus. Dan Duggan of The Athletic adds the meniscus repair is unlikely to add to the recovery timeline; per Duggan, Nabers’ knee did suffer any other damage.
Provided all goes well with the surgery, Schefter reports Nabers is expected to be fully healed in time for training camp next summer. In addition to the looming rehab process on his knee, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist will have time to allow his lingering shoulder and toe injuries to heal. Nabers had been playing through a partially torn labrum along with turf toe when his ACL tear occurred. Schefter notes surgery was contemplated in the case of the shoulder ailment, but it (along with Nabers’ toe) will now heal without any procedure taking place.
The Giants’ offense will be without its focal point the rest of the way, and a notable receiver acquisition to compensate for the loss of Nabers is not expected. That means the likes of Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt will be counted to lead the way at the receiver position. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart could also turn to tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger as options in the passing game. Dart won his first start, but further success will be hard to come by for the 1-3 Giants with Nabers out of the picture.
The LSU product set a franchise record with 109 receptions during his rookie season (totaling 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns along the way). Nabers was averaging nearly 69 yards per game through the first month of the 2025 campaign, putting him on track for another high-end statline. Instead, his attention will soon turn to surgery and an effort to heal multiple ailments in time for next summer.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/29/25
Four teams are playing on Monday night, three of which made elevations from their practice squad. Here are those transactions and the rest of today’s minor moves from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: RB Michael Carter
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: WR DeAndre Carter
Denver Broncos
- Elevated from practice squad: LB Garret Wallow
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed from Cowboys’ practice squad: LB Buddy Johnson
Miami Dolphins
- Signed from practice squad: K Riley Patterson
- Placed on IR: CB Jason Marshall
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: WR Malik Nabers (story)
- Waived: OLB Tomon Fox
New York Jets
- Elevated from practice squad: S Dean Clark, LB Mykal Walker
With Jason Sanders on IR, Patterson has been the Dolphins’ kicker to start the season. The team used up his three practice squad elevations in the first three games, so he had to be signed to the active roster to play in Monday night’s game vs. the Jets.
Marshall, a fifth-round pick in April’s draft, played a rotational role in a depleted Dolphins secondary in Weeks 1-3. The unit will now need to turn to depth options like Cornell Armstrong and Julius Brents.
Giants WR Malik Nabers Suffers Torn ACL
SEPTEMBER 29: Monday’s MRI confirmed the Giants’ fears. Nabers has indeed suffered an ACL tear, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Season-ending surgery is now on tap.
SEPTEMBER 28: It appears as though Malik Nabers‘ second NFL season has come to an early and abrupt end. The Giants wideout suffered a knee injury midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s game (video link).
Nabers has since been ruled out for the remainder of the contest, but the long-term news could prove to be the worst-case scenario. An ACL tear is feared to have occurred, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. An MRI is scheduled for tomorrow morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. 
Further testing will reveal the extent of the damage. It is rather common, however, for initial fears in situations such as this to simply be confirmed by follow-up evaluations. If Nabers has in fact torn his ACL (along with other damage to his knee, potentially) he will of course be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
Any missed time on the part of Nabers would deal a massive blow to New York’s offense, a unit which became the subject of a major shake-up this week. Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson‘s struggles led to the decision to insert first-round rookie Jaxson Dart into the lineup. Dart’s development has long been viewed as the Giants’ central storyline for 2025, but that process will be notably hindered if Nabers is indeed unavailable the rest of the way.
Last year’s sixth overall pick, Nabers made an immediate impact with the Giants. He totaled 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on an offense which struggled throughout the campaign; that production resulted in a Pro Bowl nod and made Nabers a finalist for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The LSU product had a quiet outing in Week 3, but prior to that he operated as a key figure in the passing game.
That would have no doubt remained the case through the season had Nabers been healthy. Instead, his attention will (likely) turn to a lengthy rehab process, provided the MRI confirms a torn ACL. The 22-year-old’s rookie contract runs through 2027 with a fifth-year option available to the team to extend it one more season. Plenty of time remains for a decision to be made on Nabers’ future, but his importance to the Giants will now be underscored even further.
New York retained veteran Darius Slayton this offseason, and the team also has recent Day 2 picks Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt in the fold. That trio will be counted on to carry the load at the receiver position moving forward. Tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger could also see an uptick in usage as the team establishes a new pecking order in the pass-catching department.
Dart’s level of play is widely believed to be linked to the job security of head coach Brian Daboll and others in the organization. New York’s offense could very well spend the remainder of the season without its top weapon, however.
Giants Activate LT Andrew Thomas
Sidelined to date through training camp, Andrew Thomas is now cleared to practice. The Giants’ left tackle was activated from the active/PUP list on Tuesday, per a team announcement. 
An October 2024 Lisfranc injury limited Thomas to just six games last season and set him up for a lengthy rehab process. A return to full health in time for Week 1 remained the target, though. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, head coach Brian Daboll said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) today had long been the expected activation date in Thomas’ case.
Given the timing of this move, the 26-year-old will have time to ramp up in advance of the regular season. Thomas is entering his sixth campaign in New York, each of which have been spent as the team’s starter on the blind side. Considering the term remaining (five years) on his $23.5MM-per-year extension, a full season would be critical for team and player.
Thomas had been trending in this direction, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Though, he has missed substantial practice work while recovering from an injury sustained in Week 6 of last season. The Giants had seen some stumbling blocks form during the All-Pro’s recovery, but they had not wavered in confidence he would be ready to start the season. Thomas did stop short (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) of proclaiming he will start the season on time. That still seems likely, given the timing of this activation.
Chosen fourth overall in 2020, Thomas has proven to be the Giants’ best O-lineman by a wide margin. The team may well, should Evan Neal‘s bid to unseat Greg Van Roten at right guard fail, start the same O-line it did to open last season. That is certainly an atypical path after a 3-14 season, but having Thomas available again changes the equation.
The Giants are also expected to have Malik Nabers ready to roll to open the season, but injury trouble continues to slow the promising wide receiver. After a lingering toe problem kept Nabers on the shelf alongside Thomas during the Giants’ offseason program, he missed nearly two weeks of camp due to what is being classified as a minor back injury, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes. While a source informed Raanan Nabers is experiencing “normal camp tightness,” a two-week absence is a bit concerning regardless. Nabers returned to work Tuesday but has missed most of the Giants’ 2025 practices.
Nabers is certainly not the only NFL regular likely to miss his team’s full preseason slate, but his light participation since last season ended obviously differs from most players’ schedules. A shoulder issue also sidelined Nabers early during training camp, limiting his work with new QB Russell Wilson and eventual replacement Jaxson Dart.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.