NEW YORK — Malik Nabers cut on a dime to catch a touchdown pass from Russell Wilson during 1-on-1 routes on Thursday with corner Paulson Adebo in tight coverage.

No one would be able to tell something may be wrong watching that play. But Nabers’ lingering toe injury sounds like it could become a big concern if the Giants don’t manage it properly.

In fact, one day after Nabers said surgery on the toe was an “up in the air” conversation, Daboll did not slam the door on the worst-case scenario if the Giants’ top offensive weapon regresses.

“I’m not gonna get into the conversation about injuries,” Daboll said. “You guys see him out there, he looks pretty good. We’ll do what we need to do to keep him as fresh as we can keep him.”

“If he has any type of setback or it’s extra sore, then we have a discussion with the training staff, with the doctors, with the medical team and decide what’s best,” the coach continued. “But he’s good to go.”

Unless?

“In three days, who knows,” Daboll added. “In three days, how does it feel? If we need to pull it back a little bit. That’s kind of a day-to-day plan as we go.”

So where does Nabers’ toe stand exactly? He already sat out all of spring practices due to the injury that dates back to college.

It sounds like, from Nabers’ comments, surgery would be an offseason decision if anything. It just hasn’t come to that yet.

The New York Daily News was told that exactly on Thursday: For now, Nabers’ toe is simply something the team has to manage properly during camp.

If it bothers him, the Giants will reduce his practice reps. But at the moment, sources say it’s not viewed as a big concern. Surgery just might be a possibility that Nabers would look at next offseason.

That is somewhat assuring to hear. The only problem is that the Giants are already obviously managing Nabers’ reps, which means they’re already reacting to how his toe feels.

Nabers was pulled on and off the field during the starters’ offensive series on Thursday. He even sat out a couple sessions with the first string entirely, and he stood talking with GM Joe Schoen behind the quarterbacks during one of the possessions.

That called to mind Nabers’ comment about his toe likely will be “something I’ve got to take up with [Daboll] and the guys upstairs and the training staff.”

When Nabers was on the field Thursday, he caught an 11-on-11 TD pass on a misdirection Mike Kafka play call. And he also had a possible underneath reception punched out of his hands by Cor’Dale Flott that he might have recovered for a TD in the end zone.

It’s just unsettling to know that the Giants’ most important offensive weapon does not appear to be at full strength or could be at further risk.

On Wednesday, after all, Nabers was asked if he could be the best receiver in the NFL. He gave a strange answer:

“I can be,” he said. “I feel like I should be one of those top guys in a few years, if not next year. That’s just me personally, but time will tell.”

Why did he say next year or in a few years, though? Why not this season in 2025, Nabers was asked off to the side on Wednesday?

“I’ve been having little things with my toe,” Nabers told Newsday. “I’m healthy but trying to get way more healthy than normal.”

Not what anyone wants to hear. Hopefully plays like that touchdown catch on Adebo remain the norm.

This year’s Giants won’t survive without Nabers on the field.

Dart Thursday’s clear No. 2

Rookie QB Jaxson Dart was the clear No. 2 quarterback on Thursday’s depth chart.

In the spring, Daboll had Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston working with the top skill position players during the walkthrough period, while Dart and Tommy DeVito worked with the reserves. But on Thursday, Dart joined Wilson and all of the top receivers and tight ends during that period, while Winston took snaps with DeVito on the other end.

In 11-on-11, Dart then completed his first throw for a touchdown to Jalin Hyatt with corner Tre Hawkins in coverage. Later, Dart nearly threw his second interception in two days, but Hawkins dropped the ball after stepping into the ill-advised throw.

Daboll brushed off Dart’s day one interception to Nic Jones by channeling NBA superstar Allen Iverson.

“We’re talking about practice here,” Daboll said. “So that’s what those are for.”

Switching fields

After Dart’s Day 1 interception went viral, Daboll took the unusual step to move the Giants’ first camp practice to a different field far away from all of the attending fans and media. On Thursday, Daboll claimed it was because of an issue with the grass on the first field.

“There was a little turf deal, so I moved it over,” Daboll said. “Some grass came up, so instead of — saw guys slip, I moved it over. It’ll be OK now. Fixed it.”

So the Giants’ grounds crew didn’t have the field ready for the first practice of camp? Hard to believe.

Day 2 practice notes

Hyatt, who had tweaked something late in the spring, seemed to hurt something in his left leg on Thursday. The wide receiver looked frustrated and anguished as a group of trainers worked to stretch him out. Hyatt did stay after practice to jog around and walked off under his own power, though, so the hope is that it was just a bad cramp. … The offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up with Kafka calling plays, and halfway through Thursday’s practice, Daboll put a head set on to listen in — if not chip in — to the process. … Wan’Dale Robinson and rookie tight end Thomas Fidone II both made excellent one-handed TD catches. … Winston hit tight end Greg Dulcich for two touchdowns making that three between the duo in the first two practices. … Rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter looked powerful and dangerous while winning reps against rookie right tackle Marcus Mbow. He flushed Dart out of the pocket for a sack or incompletion on one play and drove Mbow to the ground on another. Carter also overplayed some runs and blocking schemes, as well, on his learning curve to growing into a productive pro.

Lawrence gets a sweetener

The Giants added $3 million in incentives to Dexter Lawrence’s contract for 2025, one day after The News asked Lawrence if he had an issue with his contract only ranking him as tied for the 10th-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL. Lawrence said winning is all he cares about, so if he does his thing, the rest will take care of itself. He did not participate in team drills this spring coming off a late season injury, although he was in the building and did individual drills.

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