New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers took a clear step forward on Thursday by joining team drills in practice while wearing a red jersey, a carefully managed appearance that head coach John Harbaugh called a milestone for the roster.
Harbaugh said the red jersey had one purpose.
“Malik was lobbying for the red jersey of the future, but that wasn’t the reason. The reason was to make sure that nobody touched him,” Harbaugh told reporters. “It was a no-physicality practice. It was a timing practice, as much as possible, with no physicality.”
The decision to put Nabers in team drills registered with the players immediately. Harbaugh described the reaction in the morning meetings and on the field.
“I feel like the players were excited when we talked about it in meetings this morning. They were excited. They were giving him a hard time at practice. But everybody was happy that he was out there,” he said.
Harbaugh framed the moment as meaningful progress rather than a full return.
“It’s a big step. It’s a big step to get into team drills,” the coach said. “So, for him to do that was — yeah, it was a milestone, I would say, for our team.”
Nabers’ limited role kept the focus on timing and spacing while the team continued its gradual approach. For a receiver still working his way back, simply lining up in those drills offered a visible checkpoint.
Harbaugh’s comments left little doubt that the coaching staff and players viewed the day as a positive marker in a longer process.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants see ‘milestone’ as Malik Nabers joins team drills in practice
Reporting by Dan Benton, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan Benton, Giants Wire | USA TODAY Network
