Malik Nabers making long-awaited Giants return in enormous boost

Malik Nabers said Malik Nabers is ready to play.

Originally listed as questionable, Nabers is active for the Giants’ season opener against the Cowboys Sunday night after practicing in full all week. Head coach John Harbaugh declared at midweek that the star receiver looked “ready to go” after adhering to the team’s summer rehab program.

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The main question now is whether Nabers will be on a snap count.

Nabers was coy about his status on Thursday and said that he has to consider his long-term future and not just one game.

“It’s my career. It’s my body,” Nabers said. “I know when I’m able to play, and I know when I’m able to do what I want to do. So, everybody has to live with the decision on what I want to do with my career.”

And his teammate and mentor, Odell Beckham Jr., pointed out that teams can dispose of players when injuries happen so risking re-injury means “his career is then not necessarily in his hands.” That suggests maybe the locker room would have understood Nabers’ concerns rather than question his motives if he chose to sit.

A league source who has known Nabers since he was a draft prospect suggested to The Post that he would not be the type to react kindly to feeling pressured or guilted by anyone into playing before he feels ready. It was contrasted with Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who said that he would play in Week 1 if the coaches wanted him to, “whether my (injured) ankle feels 100 percent, 50 percent, 70 percent.”

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Nabers’ presence is critical for a Giants team that entered Sunday with one of the most-questionable receiver rooms in the league: Darnell Mooney, rookie Malachi Fields, Odell Beckham Jr. (after a one-year layoff), Dalen Cambre and practice-squad elevation Braxton Berrios.

It enhanced the spotlight on the controversial decision last week to release four-time team leader in receiving yards Darius Slayton over $3.2 million in salary-cap savings.

In Harbaugh’s estimation, Slayton did not look fully recovered from offseason sports hernia surgery on both legs. Slayton also a history of drops that angered fans. 

But the eight-year pro showed a reminder of his been-there, done-that insurance-policy resume with four catches for 58 yards in a preseason game against the Dolphins. 

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