New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has not moved forward in the NFL’s concussion protocol, which lowers his chances of playing against Cincinnati on Sunday night.
Nabers stayed in the third stage of the five-step protocol on Thursday, meaning he could stretch on the field and work with trainers, but not practice fully. Coach Brian Daboll mentioned that he was at the same stage on Wednesday.
To play against the Bengals (1-4) at MetLife Stadium, Nabers needs to participate in a non-contact practice and get clearance from both a team doctor and an independent neurologist.
Nabers got injured late in the Giants’ loss to Dallas on September 26. He missed last Sunday’s win against Seattle, but he still leads the NFL with 35 catches.
Veteran Darius Slayton was the top receiver for the Giants against the Seahawks, making eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The Giants also started to use rookie tight end Theo Johnson more in the game. The fourth-round pick from Penn State had five catches for 48 yards, compared to just three in the first four games.
“I want to be able to contribute in the passing game any way I can,” Johnson said after practice on Thursday. “So it’s good to add a little bit more value to the offense this week in that respect.”
The Giants (2-3) initially used Johnson and fellow tight end Daniel Bellinger mainly as blockers earlier in the season.
“If you look at my (college) stats, it’s not jaw-dropping, but it’s kind of similar to how I’m being used now,” Johnson explained. “I’m doing whatever it takes week in and week out to get a win.
I think this is a very unselfish position because you don’t get all the glitz and the glamour. A lot of the time, you have to do the dirty work and the less flashy things.”
