Nabers growing as a leader
We all saw what Malik Nabers is capable of on the field throughout his historic rookie campaign. With his 109 receptions (and in only 15 games), Nabers set not only a rookie record, but also a new franchise record for catches in a season. It didn't take long for the young wideout to establish himself as one of the league's top wide receivers. Heading into Year 2, Nabers said he has been more focused on working on himself off the field as he steps into a leadership role in the locker room.
"It's just being more vocal about just getting guys ready to go or making sure we're on the right path to what we want to accomplish, and I have to sometimes get out of my mode," Nabers told the media. "I talk to myself a lot. I talk to myself in my head, and I'm always quiet a lot, so sometimes I have to step outside of those boundaries and get guys riled up and get them going, get my receiver group going, and that's just a part of just being a leader and just wanting to be better for my team."
"Malik's done a great job just his leadership, his voice in the film room too," Russell Wilson added. "He's done a great job with that. I've been telling him that the more he communicates what he sees and feels, not just to us quarterbacks but really to the group as a receiver and we're all want to be on the same page. I think he's doing a great job of that. He's really just stepped into that role, the leadership role."
While his first NFL season was quite impressive, Nabers would be the first to tell you that it wasn't perfect. The star receiver focused on cleaning up some of the "little mental errors" throughout the offseason, he told the media on the first day of training camp. Through the first few weeks of camp, his focus and attention on the little details have been on full display, according to his offensive coordinator.
"Malik has a growth mindset," said Kafka. "He's continuing to grow and learn and get better and master his craft, whether it's as an outside receiver, as a slot receiver, in the run game. I think he's just taking a really concerted effort of being really detailed with those things. I think you're seeing it with those splash plays and the ability that he has but I think there are other elements to it. It's running off on a screen and collecting two DBs down the field, now those guys are out of the play. It's those little details that maybe don't show up on the stat sheet – that, to me, I'm probably most proud of him."
As for what he can accomplish this season, his new starting quarterback believes the sky is the limit for the 22-year-old.
"You see it on film," Wilson said. "I mean that was first thing I told you guys when I watched him on film – watching all the cutups of him and all the cutups of the guys and all the plays, all the games. It was just his explosives and once he catches the football and there's only so many people in the world that can do it like he can and I think that he's one of the best in the world to do it. He's going into a second year of it all and it's all fresh and all new, but he's definitely experienced in terms of how he sees the game, his mentality attacking the football in the air. You guys have seen all the explosive plays he's made down the field, also even underneath and all the things he's done too as well and it's going to be a special thing. I'm excited to play with him, obviously…
"Malik is world-class at what he can do. There's nothing really he can't do."
'Excited to see' what Gano can do
Kicker Graham Gano got his Giants tenure off to quite a strong start back in 2020. The veteran kicker connected on 31 of 32 field goal attempts, including five from 50+ yards, while playing in all 16 games. He appeared in every game over the next two seasons before enduring back-to-back injury-riddled campaigns, which forced him to miss a combined 17 contests over the last two years.
After missing Weeks 3-9, Gano returned for the final eight games of the season last year. The 38-year-old was a full-go for the offseason workout program and has been on the field for every practice since the start of training camp. Heading into the season healthy, Gano's special teams coordinator believes the veteran will look like his old self in 2025.
"From what I've seen, Graham has looked, I thought he played his best ball towards the back quarter of the season," said Michael Ghobrial. "And it looked like he was the Graham Gano that everybody knows. A very successful veteran kicker that has the clutch trait, that's weather tested, that has good range, good accuracy, and good operation time. And we saw that towards the back quarter of the season.
"And then when he came back, you always wonder where a guy is with his kicking shape, and he showed up ready to go. He looked like the Graham Gano that we all know. He kicked well in the off-season, and he's kicked well in training camp. Health-wise, I'm excited to see what he can do. I know he takes care of his body, and that's something he stays connected to. And he's done a great job for us."