New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has brought a lot of excitement to a state whose two football teams have been disappointing for the greater part of the past decade. As the Giants prepare for their preseason finale against the crosstown rival New York Jets, Nabers received a lot of praise from Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh:
“Elite competitor. Freaky. You could argue that he could’ve been the number 1 receiver [taken]…he’s a very special talent,” Saleh said about Nabers (h/t SNY).
Malik Nabers brings excitement to a new-look Giants team
Nabers was taken by the Giants out of LSU with the sixth overall pick, the first wideout taken out of LSU by the Giants since Odell Beckham Jr., who had a short-lived but stellar tenure with the G-men. Nabers gives the Giants a true top receiver for quarterback Daniel Jones, and them two developing on-field chemistry will be essential if they want to improve their offense after last season’s disaster on that front.
The Giants and the Jets have two completely different expectations coming into this season, as Brian Daboll’s Giants are back in the rebuild phase while Saleh’s Jets are expected to contend for a Super Bowl title with quarterback Aaron Rodgers back from an achilles tear he suffered in Week 1 last season.
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The Giants and Jets rivalry could be revived thanks to each team’s young talent
Despite the stark contrasts in overall talent level, both teams possess young and exciting players that should revive the intense rivalry between the two. The excitement that these players generate will make this upcoming preseason finale a must-watch, as both teams’ starters are expected to play for a good portion of the game.
There could even be a point where Nabers lines up against Jets’ star cornerback Sauce Gardner, which is sure to provide a highly competitive matchup between both players as they look to continue to make a name for themselves. The two teams don’t play each other in the regular season this year, but this preseason matchup could give everyone a glimpse at the competitive nature each team will possess for the years to come.
