Young QB Like Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders or a Veteran Like Sam Darnold? Malik Nabers Plays It Safe When Asked to Choose

Malik Nabers was one of the few bright spots in the New York Giants’ otherwise disappointing season. While the rookie’s dynamic play suggests the team has its WR position secured for the long haul, the quarterback situation remains uncertain. So, a solution? Well, with the No. 3 pick that the team holds, they could easily snag a QB like Shedeur Sanders. However, Nabers doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about that possibility.

In his latest appearance on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, Nabers made it clear that he would not prefer his next QB to be a rookie like Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. Nor would he prefer a veteran nearing the end of his career like Aaron Rodgers.

Instead, Nabers would like a playmaker entering the prime of his career, such as Sam Darnold, while also drafting a rookie understudy. Simply put, he wants an Aaron Rodgers-Jordan Love-type QB synergy for the Giants next season.

“I would say probably both (a veteran and a rookie). I mean, exactly like you said—you’d rather have a young guy you can grow with. But at the same time, having a veteran, who knows what’s going on, is valuable too. That rookie can also learn from the vet, so when he comes in, it’s not like, ‘Here, you’re the savior of the team,’” the wideout said.

While most would expect a youngster like Nabers to prefer someone from his generation to bond and grow with, he believes the pressure of being an NFL quarterback is unreal—especially when a rookie is expected to be the franchise player from day one.

Not everyone is like his LSU teammate Jayden Daniels, who embraced this responsibility to perfection. Daniels, if anything, is a rarity. Most rookies thrust prematurely into the QB1 spot struggle to adapt—a practice Tom Brady has been vocally against and one that Caleb Williams has fallen victim to.

“Did I have pressure? Yeah, I was the sixth overall pick. But it wasn’t the same kind of pressure that quarterbacks have,” Nabers explained.

“When you’re a QB, you’re expected to change the franchise. You come in, and they don’t have a quarterback, so it’s all on you to turn things around. I wouldn’t want that on a young QB… Then you start hearing, ‘You’re a bust. They should’ve never picked you.’ It kind of breaks you,” he added.

While Nabers has strong opinions on the Giants’ QB situation, he’s just as focused on leveling up his own game.

Nabers lists down his areas to improve for next season

Despite recording 7 receiving TDs, 109 receptions, and 1,204 receiving yards in his rookie season, Nabers believes he has plenty to improve on—especially in route running. The WR highlighted that his key takeaway from watching last season’s film was how he occasionally mistimed his routes in anticipation of Daniel Jones’ throws.

While he fared pretty well despite the struggles, Nabers argued that he can improve massively in this area.

“I mean, when I watched the clips from this year, I kind of rushed a lot of things… I didn’t really get busy in my routes. We didn’t have a lot of time back there, and I knew I was the first option, so I had to get open fast for DJ.”

Apart from technical refinement, Nabers outlined the importance of working on improving his health. The Giants rookie noted that his fitness levels weren’t up to the mark as he found himself with niggles every passing week. In Nabers’ opinion, improving his strength and endurance will go a long way in helping him ball out in a long season.

“The second thing is probably maintaining my body health—getting my body right. I had a lot of nicks; there was something every week that I was dealing with. So, just trying to keep my body healthy throughout the season—it’s a pretty long season.”

It’s truly amazing to see the self-awareness and clarity Malik Nabers has about his game. Despite the challenges he faced in his rookie season, the numbers he put up highlight what a talent powerhouse he is. Giants fans can certainly breathe a bit easier as long as the wideout is around.