On a busy Monday in June, the New York Giants have signed their third wide receiver of the day. JuJu Smith-Schuster joins Braxton Berrios and Giants legend Odell Beckham Jr. as the latest additions to New York’s roster, prompting questions about the health of their superstar and the strength of the room in general.
After Gunner Olszewski tore his Achilles in practice last week, signing Berrios (the first move of the day) makes sense as a near one-for-one replacement. Even Beckham makes sense as a legacy guy and a move the Giants have been contemplating for some time. But adding Smith-Schuster as well is an odd choice considering the Giants already employ Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin III, Jalin Hyatt, and Isaiah Hodgins — in addition to the star of the group, Malik Nabers.
Growing Concern New York Giants WR Malik Nabers May Not Be Ready for Week 1
GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 28: Malik Nabers #1 of the New York Giants is introduced before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium on September 28, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Giants signing three new wide receivers in June underscores a growing concern in New York: that Nabers, arguably the Giants’ best offensive player, won’t be ready to play Week 1.
Nabers suffered a torn ACL in his right knee back in September, also damaging his meniscus in the process. The original surgery required a full meniscus repair as well as the ACL repair, and a few weeks ago he underwent another surgery to remove scar tissue from the first operation.
“[Nabers is] in the middle of it,” Giants HC John Harbaugh said back in May. “It’s such a hard thing. It’s an ACL, and whatever else he had in that knee. Not a simple knee [injury], you know? So he’s in the slog of it, the grind of it, I would say. So, he’s fighting through it, and he’s here every day working hard at it.”
“Just impossible to predict,” Harbaugh added on Nabers’ recovery timeline. “I mean, the goal is to start the season and get out there sometime in training camp. That’d be the goal, and we’ll see what happens.”
If Nabers isn’t ready by Week 1, adding more bodies to a suddenly undermanned wide receiver position makes a lot more sense.
Giants WR Malik Nabers is a Huge Piece of Their Offense
Malik Nabers is really good at football. That much is obvious, but he’s so important to what the Giants do on offense and his absence for the bulk of last season was readily apparent whenever you watched New York play.
As a rookie in 2024, he totaled 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, adding 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns in less than four games in 2025.
For the Giants to reach their full potential in Year 1 under Harbaugh, Nabers will need to be a big part of their offense. If he’s not ready to go Week 1, that’s a very bad sign.
Giants Sign Third Vet Wide Receiver of the Day, Fueling Questions About Malik Nabers