Malik Nabers can take a joke. To a sure diploma.
However after Nabers' shut good friend Jayden Daniels ribbed him “a few instances” this offseason over main the Commanders to 2 victories in opposition to the Giants throughout their shared rookie yr, the receiver shifted the dialog to the long run.
And which means Sunday's head-to-head matchup in Week 1.
“I used to be like, ‘Sufficient is sufficient. I'm coming to get you,' ” Nabers stated with fun after Wednesday's apply.
Daniels and Nabers starred collectively at LSU, and had been the No. 2 and No. 6 picks, respectively, within the 2024 draft.
Each had nice particular person seasons, however their workforce outcomes couldn't have been extra totally different.
Daniels loved a 12-5 breakthrough and a shock journey to the NFC Championship sport, whereas Nabers suffered by way of a 3-14 slog.
“They turned their program round, we're constructing one thing nice over right here,” Nabers stated, “so we will't fiddle with them. Simply put them to mattress early.”
Nabers didn't play within the preseason because of ankle and again accidents, however he's prepared for “sport time.”
“I have to be on the sphere if we need to win a number of video games,” Nabers stated, “so simply making an attempt to maintain the principle factor the principle factor and keep on the sphere.”
After his 109-catch, 1,204-yard rookie season, what can Nabers do for an encore?
“I might type of say I'm much less anxious,” Nabers stated, evaluating Week 1 of this yr to final. “I type of was nervous in regards to the first sport, however I've type of dialed down. I did it already, so it's type of like I'm simply able to go present the world it's simply one other yr.”
LT Andrew Thomas (foot) was restricted throughout a padded apply. He was the one Large listed on the primary harm report of the season. Thomas participated in particular person drills open to the media however didn't look like taking each flip.
TE Theo Johnson was one of many first gamers onto the apply discipline and moved round properly sufficient to validate Daboll's assertion that he's “good to go.”
Johnson had missed greater than every week's price of apply however declined to say whether or not he was injured or had different limitations.
“Good to be again on the market,” Johnson stated. “I used to be right here. There wasn't something occurring. Simply right here getting myself proper and able to go.”
There was buzz within the locker room that DT Dexter Lawrence II regarded like his dominant self in Wednesday's apply after his lengthy summer time ramp-up.
Is he prepared for his regular heavy snap depend?
He performed 70 % or extra of the defensive snaps in 9 of 12 video games earlier than his dislocated elbow final season.
“You will need to not have seen me on the market,” Lawrence stated. “I really feel good. I didn't get the quantity of reps I've been getting [in years past], however the ramp-up has helped me. Maintain growing performs right here and there, and seeing how I really feel. I'm able to go.”
