Malik Nabers sheds red jersey as Giants' star WR tracks toward Week 1

Malik Nabers is closing the distance on a Week 1 debut. The Giants' star wide receiver, working back from a knee injury that included a torn ACL, practiced Monday without the red non-contact jersey for the first time in his rehab — the clearest signal yet that he is on schedule for the opener against Dallas.

Nabers took three reps in 11-on-11 and three in 7-on-7 drills, and beat writer Jordan Raanan reported he made a highlight-reel catch, plucking a pass off the turf after going down. That kind of work is the next checkpoint in a return that has been steady rather than rushed; shedding the no-contact jersey means the Giants are comfortable with him taking contact in live settings.

Head coach John Harbaugh said it is "reasonable to assume" Nabers is trending toward being ready for the Cowboys, barring a setback. The phrasing is cautious by design — a torn ACL is not a footnote, and the franchise is not about to rush its best pass-catcher into a divisional opener.

For a Giants offense that leans heavily on Nabers' explosiveness, his availability would reshape the Week 1 plan. Getting him on the field against Dallas, even at less than full volume, is the difference between a limited attack and a dangerous one.