The preseason kicked off on Aug. 9, with the New York Giants and Detroit Lions facing off. The excitement around preseason is not only to see some of the starters in action but to also get a glimpse of the rookies that were drafted. Malik Nabers was that rookie for the Giants, and even though he was on the field, he wasn't able to catch any passes.
On the first play, Nabers went deep and was by himself on a go-route, but quarterback Drew Lock didn't see him and instead scrambled for five yards. On the third offensive drive, Nabers got open again, and Lock once again didn't find him and scrambled out of the pocket.
Nabers and Lock did not connect for a completion in the preseason, but Nabers is happy that's just back on the turf.
“It felt good to be back on the football field, playing a real game,” Nabers said after the game. “We had a plan, I wasn’t sure if I was playing. I did a very good job of getting open, but everything has to go my way to get the ball.
“I think I could’ve done a better job of creating separation, getting better looks for the QB to throw the ball in better spots. That’s all I can do — continue to do what I do.”
The Giants should look to get Malik Nabers involved
Going into the regular season, Malik Nabers will most likely be one of the starting wide receivers, and he was listed as one of the starters on the team's initial preseason depth chart. Even though Drew Lock won't be the starting quarterback, it's still good to get the receiver the ball, and in this case, a rookie who's seeing his first time on the NFL field.
Nabers showed multiple times during the preseason opener that he has the skills to get open, he just has to get the ball to make a play. Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that Lock was just trying to make the right decisions on certain plays.
“Drew thought he saw something with the safety coming down on the tight end so he pulled the trigger … he tried to make the smart decision,” Daboll said after the game.
The good thing is that if Naber continues to show that he can get open, there's no doubt that the ball will end up in his hands. The Giants went out and drafted Nabers because they needed an upgrade at the receiver position, and he may be the answer throughout the season for Daniel Jones in the offense. It may take him some time to get the chemistry together with Jones and Nabers, but as the season progresses their connection could become automatic.
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