The New York Giants will have a new quarterback, Tommy DeVito, under center this Sunday when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium.
The move was made to hopefully ignite some spark in the offense, which is the lowest scoring in the NFL this year. But there are other questions that have arisen such as how the switch from Daniel Jones to DeVito will affect star rookie wideout Malik Nabers.
Nabers has 61 receptions and 607 receiving yards on 94 targets this season, including at least five receptions and 50 receiving yards in seven of his first eight career games.
If Nabers gets four receptions this Sunday against the Bucs, he will surpass Puka Nacua (64 receptions) for the most receptions by a player in his first nine games in NFL history as well as the first player ever with at least five receptions and 50 receiving yards in eight of his first nine career games.
After a spectacular first four games, Nabers had 35 receptions for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He then missed two games due to a concussion.
In the four games since his return, Nabers has 26 receptions for 221 yards and no touchdowns. The Giants lost all four games.
The targets have been there recently for Nabers but the route tree is not sending him downfield to make the big play. He is averaging 10.0 per reception with just seven catches of 20 or more yards.
Nabers pales in comparison to three other LSU stud wideouts — Brian Thomas Jr. (16.5 YPR), Justin Jefferson (15.5), and Ja’Marr Chase (14.5).
Will DeVito be able to maximize Nabers’ talent going forward, is the question. He hasn’t played a snap all year in the regular season but is familiar with the offense and many of the players as he has been in the building for two years now.
“I’m going to get more and more comfortable throughout the week,” DeVito told reporters on Wednesday. “I haven’t had a ton of reps with them, obviously, this year if you will. I got a good amount in OTAs, which was definitely helpful, so I know how people move. And then the guys who were here last year, I know how they move. So just being able to get the ball in their hands and let them do what they do.”
Jones did not seem comfortable this season coming off the torn ACL and subsequent surgery. He didn’t look like he was having fun, either. That is something DeVito intends to bring to the huddle.
“If you don’t enjoy going out there, you don’t play with the same kind of passion that you would if you did, so really just trying to keep everybody’s high spirits up, enjoy it, and just bring energy when I’m out there,” he said.
With any luck, DeVito will be able to click with Nabers and lift this Giants offense out of the ditch it’s been in all year. And that’s what the rookie expects.
“I know he got a steamer for an arm, so I got some catches with him after practice. Relationship with me and DeVito is cool. We talk, play the game, so we got a good relationship,” Nabers said. “I’m able to get open, I’m able to create separation. So, I mean that’s a plus for him for sure. He’s comfortable throwing me the ball.”
We’ll get the first taste of DeVito-Nabers in just a few short days.
