The biggest swing factor for the Dallas Cowboys’ season opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night is still Malik Nabers.
For most of the summer, the Giants have been all over the place on whether their star receiver would be ready for Week 1. That uncertainty started to tilt in a more optimistic direction as September 13 got closer, especially after Nabers was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
Then came his comments after Thursday’s session, and they didn’t exactly sound like a player locked into playing.
"I've been wanting to play for so long now," Nabers said. "But at the end of the day, I can't put my career at risk.
I got to take that into account. There's a lot of football that I still have left to play. ..."
That line - "I can't put my career at risk" - says plenty on its own.
A Giants reporter then asked Nabers directly whether all of this was a bluff aimed at Dallas or whether he was still truly weighing the decision. Nabers didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
"By the look on my face, you feel like that's what it is?," Nabers responded." I don't care who I play.
I don't fear anybody. I'll let them know if I'm playing.
I'll let them know if I'm not playing. If you see me out there, you see me out there.
If you don't, you don't."
That’s where things get strange. The Giants appear to be leaving the call to Nabers, which is an odd setup for a 23-year-old cornerstone receiver coming off a torn ACL and a meniscus that required two surgeries. If he’s medically cleared but still wondering whether his knee is ready for a regular-season game, that feels like a decision someone else should help make.
Nabers absolutely should have a voice in it. He knows his body. But there’s a difference between being part of the conversation and being the one who makes the final call.
For Dallas, the difference between Nabers playing and Nabers sitting is massive. He’s the one Giant who can tilt the entire night. In three career games against the Cowboys, the former No. 6 overall pick has caught 29 of 41 targets for 351 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Without him, the Cowboys wouldn’t have to spend nearly as much energy worrying about explosive plays or about one receiver taking over a drive by himself. Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Isaiah Likely become a lot less intimidating if Nabers isn’t out there drawing extra attention.
Nabers hasn’t made a final decision, and he did practice fully on both Wednesday and Thursday. Still, after hearing the way he talked about protecting his career, it’s hard not to wonder if the most likely outcome is that the Giants hold him out one more week.
In Other News...
Cowboys Enter Week 1 With A Tight End Problem
As the Cowboys get ready for their regular-season opener against the Giants, the tight end room is already looking thinner than anyone around the team would like. Luke Schoonmaker sat out practice with his status still unclear, while practice squad tight end Michael Trigg is rehabbing a toe injury, leaving Dallas to sort through a position group that has taken a hit before the games even start.
Princeton Fant and DJ Rogers are both on injured reserve, which is why the Cowboys may need to look at a practice squad move just to keep the depth chart functional. One possible answer is James Mitchell, who could be elevated if Dallas decides it needs another body at tight end for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
John Harbaugh Is Already Turning Up The Tension Before Cowboys Opener
With Sunday nights opener against the Cowboys looming, John Harbaugh is already treating the week like a chess match. The Giants coach declined to get into game plans or specific player details at his press conference, making it clear he sees no value in handing over any competitive edge before the season even begins. It is the kind of early-week posture that tends to sharpen the edge around a division game, especially when two teams know each other well.
Harbaughs guarded approach comes as reports have also pointed to some pointed evaluations of quarterback Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo during camp. For Dallas, that only adds another layer to a game that already carries plenty of attention, with the Cowboys opening against a rival that appears intent on keeping every meaningful card close to the vest. The questions around how much the Giants are willing to reveal will wait until kickoff, and maybe well after it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys May Have Found A Scary New Way To Use George Pickens
The Cowboys are already thinking ahead to 2026, and George Pickens is central to the plan. After a strong first season in Dallas, the wide receivers role could grow in ways that make the offense less predictable, with the team looking to move him around more and use him in different alignments instead of keeping him in one familiar spot.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants the passing game to create more problems for defenses, and Pickens versatility could be a big part of that approach. Dallas is hoping that a more varied deployment, including more work in the slot, can build on a season in which Pickens piled up 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns and turn an already dangerous weapon into something even harder to track. [Read more 🡒]