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Giants must make this WR move with Malik Nabers hurt and it's not signing OBJ

Time to bring back an old friend.
Braulio Perez
Braulio Perez

GMEN HQ

Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins (18) fastens his helmet during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Everything has changed for the NY Giants. It's brutal to admit, but losing receiver Malik Nabers to his serious knee injury is going to set this team back on offense. With him out for the long haul, Darius Slayton becomes the team's new go-to option at the position.

Are we going to see more of Jalin Hyatt moving forward? That'd be a possibility, but Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka continue to show they don't have a ton of faith in the former Tennessee superstar and Biletnikoff winner. So, what can general manager Joe Schoen do to help out?

Odell Beckham Jr. wastes no time sending Malik Nabers a much-needed message

Leave it to Dan Duggan to talk some sense into everyone. On Monday morning, plenty of people have been calling for the G-Men to make a splash move. Trade for a wideout, or maybe sign free agent Odell Beckham Jr. in a blast from the past decision? Nope, the call that makes the most sense is bringing back Isaiah Hodgins:

The NY Giants bringing back Isaiah Hodgins needs to happen with Malik Nabers out

No one can argue with this take from Duggan. Let's be real here, the Giants are 1-3 on the season and they're not going to give up draft capital to bring in a different wideout. If this team was 3-1 on the year, then sure, we'd be calling for some trades to be considered.

Right now, the full focus has to be on helping Dart develop, while also making sure the right guys are around him to make plays on offense. Hodgins knows what it takes to play in this system, as he's quite familiar with Daboll, Kafka and countless guys in the locker room.

The former Oregon State stud joined the G-Men in 2022 and appeared in 28 total games for the G-Men over the past three seasons. He left this past offseason as a free agent, currently with the Steelers on their practice squad.

Hodgins isn't an elite playmaker or anything, but he's a trustworthy wideout and can be a reliable option when the ball is thrown his way. We know it was back in '22, but plenty of Big Blue supporters remember his breakout game in the Wild Card Round win over the Vikings in Minnesota - he posted eight receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown, helping NY win its first playoff game in 11 years.

Hodgins isn't going to be a 'Nabers replacement,' as it's impossible for anyone to fill that massive void. Nabers is a generational talent and his ACL tear is the last thing this team could afford. However, there are 13 games left on the schedule and this team will have a next man up mentality. Hodgins packing his bags and making the move back to New Jersey and being someone to help out there just makes too much sense.

Braulio Perez

Braulio Perez

Braulio Perez is an NCAA Content Director for FanSided, joining Minute Media in 2017 after 2.5 years at the Newark Star-Ledger as a high school sports reporter and 2.5 years at the Lynden Tribune as sports editor. While with the Lynden Tribune, Perez was named the Sports Writer of the Year in 2012 for his division by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. At the Star-Ledger, he also assisted in coverage of college football recruiting. Perez's focus has been on college football recruiting, high school sports, the NFL, NCAA and English Premier League. He is also a regular contributor for 247Sports' Cougfan.com.