Giants’ Malik Nabers has message for ex-LSU teammate Jayden Daniels

Malik Nabers can take a joke. To a certain degree.

But after Nabers’ close friend Jayden Daniels ribbed him “a couple of times” this offseason over leading the Commanders to two victories against the Giants during their shared rookie year, the receiver shifted the conversation to the future.

And that means Sunday’s head-to-head matchup in Week 1.

“I was like, ‘Enough is enough. I’m coming to get you,’ ” Nabers said with a laugh after Wednesday’s practice.

Daniels and Nabers starred together at LSU, and were the No. 2 and No. 6 picks, respectively, in the 2024 draft.

Both had great individual seasons, but their team results couldn’t have been more different.

Daniels enjoyed a 12-5 breakthrough and a surprise trip to the NFC Championship game, while Nabers suffered through a 3-14 slog.

“They turned their program around, we’re building something great over here,” Nabers said, “so we can’t mess around with them. Just put them to bed early.”

Nabers didn’t play in the preseason due to ankle and back injuries, but he is ready for “game time.”

“I need to be on the field if we want to win a lot of games,” Nabers said, “so just trying to keep the main thing the main thing and stay on the field.”

After his 109-catch, 1,204-yard rookie season, what can Nabers do for an encore?

“I would kind of say I’m less anxious,” Nabers said, comparing Week 1 of this year to last. “I kind of was worried about the first game, but I’ve kind of dialed down. I did it already, so it’s kind of like I’m just ready to go show the world it’s just another year.”

LT Andrew Thomas (foot) was limited during a padded practice. He was the only Giant listed on the first injury report of the season. Thomas participated in individual drills open to the media but did not appear to be taking every turn.

TE Theo Johnson was one of the first players onto the practice field and moved around well enough to validate Daboll’s assertion that he is “good to go.”

Johnson had missed more than a week’s worth of practice but declined to say whether he was injured or had other limitations.

“Good to be back out there,” Johnson said. “I was here. There wasn’t anything going on. Just here getting myself right and ready to go.”

There was buzz in the locker room that DT Dexter Lawrence II looked like his dominant self in Wednesday’s practice after his long summer ramp-up.

Is he ready for his normal heavy snap count?

He played 70 percent or more of the defensive snaps in nine of 12 games before his dislocated elbow last season.

“You must not have seen me out there,” Lawrence said. “I feel good. I didn’t get the amount of reps I’ve been getting [in years past], but the ramp-up has helped me. Keep increasing plays here and there, and seeing how I feel. I’m ready to go.”