Malik Nabers Expected to Avoid PUP List as Giants Open Training Camp

With the New York Giants set to report to training camp at The Greenbrier next week, Big Blue is potentially looking at some positive news to kick off the first summer of the John Harbaugh era.

ESPN is reporting that star receiver Malik Nabers, who is in the latter stages of his rehab from a torn ACL suffered in Week 4 of last season, is expected to avoid being placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start camp.

Last month, Harbaugh estimated that Nabers was about 80% of the way through his rehab schedule.

“He’s making really good progress right now. I’m very hopeful that he’ll be back soon,” Harbaugh told reporters during the team’s mandatory minicamp.

“Also, understand when you come back from a knee, he’ll be back, and he’ll still be building his way back to his ultimate full strength self. But he’s doing great. He’s doing a great job. He’s made some real good progress in the last few weeks.”

While Nabers’s potentially avoiding PUP to start camp is a positive sign, it doesn’t necessarily mean that by Week 1 of the regular season, he’ll be full go with zero restrictions.

What it does mean is that the receiver, who was not spotted working with his teammates during the spring practices open to the media, will be able to begin ramping up by doing football-related drills, such as running, stopping on a dime, and cutting.

By not putting Nabers on PUP, he will be able to ease himself into football practice, which would help him get a jumpstart on being as close to 100% as possible for the start of the regular season.

A Long Road Back Is Nearing Its End

This is a positive development for the 25-year-old receiver who earlier this year had a clean-up procedure done on his knee to remove some scar tissue.

The Giants are counting on having Nabers in the lineup to complement quarterback Jaxson Dart, who only got to play with Nabers last year for fewer than 50 snaps before the receiver’s injury.

General manager Joe Schoen also mentioned that he was optimistic about the team having Nabers for Week 1 when the Giants host the Dallas Cowboys.

He told Yahoo Sports last month, “I still think he’ll be fine Week 1. So, we’ll see. He’s trending in the right direction. Again, these things take time, so it’s not instant. Every patient is different.”  

Whether Nabers is ready for Week 1 will depend on how much practice time he gets between being activated from PUP and leading up to the season-opener against Dallas.

Certainly, the Giants, who have a tough two-game stretch to start their 2026 regular season, would love to have Nabers in the lineup for that stretch, but whether he would be cleared of any limitations, including a pitch count, by then is still to be determined.

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