NEW ORLEANS — Sorry, Giants fans, but Malik Nabers was not trying to recruit free agent Tee Higgins to New York during their recent three-way call with mutual friend Isaiah Simmons.
But don’t rule it out for the future, especially because Higgins and Simmons remain tight as former Clemson teammates and Simmons was Nabers’ closest friend on the Giants during the rookie’s electric debut.
“I mean, I could,” Nabers laughed to The Post, “but I don’t know how persuasive I would be.”
Higgins is the top receiver set to hit the market — possibly commanding $30 million per season — and easily could be most teams’ No. 1 option if he breaks from pairing with Ja’Marr Chase on the Bengals.
Nabers dominates the ball for the Giants — only Chase (175) had more targets in the NFL than Nabers (170) — but is open to the idea of sharing targets with another 100-catch caliber receiver on the outside and forming his own dynamic duo like Chase-Higgins, the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and the Eagles’ A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Darius Slayton is unlikely to return as a free agent — so is the linebacker Simmons, for what it’s worth — which puts the Giants in the receiver market. Whether they see slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (140 targets) as their No. 2 or No. 3 will be revealed through their moves.
“I would love to have another guy on the other side, specifically a veteran guy I can learn from,” Nabers said. “Somebody that can take all the people looking at me. It would be amazing to try to get somebody of that level to come play with us, especially with Wan’Dale, too.”
Nabers was on Super Bowl 2025 radio row Thursday in his home state of Louisiana, promoting Popeyes as “the official wing of football” and its new gameday bundle for $24.99.
It left Nabers hungry to get to the big game himself, even though that feels a long way off for the Giants (3-14).
“It would’ve been an honor to play in this one, being that it’s home,” Nabers said. “I’m eager to go into the season and try to create a better season next year. I’m excited to see what guys come into our locker room. Hopefully, we get good guys with a great mindset, create a culture.”
One problem the Giants will have when pitching receivers: Who is throwing the ball?
The expectation is the Giants will sign a veteran quarterback and add a draft pick, with hopes of landing either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in the top three.
“I’m paying attention to it with the eyes of a hawk,” Nabers said. “[The Giants] have been keeping me in the loop, whether it’s who I like. They always ask me questions like that. When I watch [Sanders and Ward], I pick the things I like about both of them and go back and tell them.”
Nabers was a finalist Thursday for Offensive Rookie of the Year with two of his former LSU teammates: Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
“We always had that competitive mindset with each other,” Nabers said. “To see all three of us here means we did a great job.”
Nabers ranked himself as the No. 1 active receiver from LSU — ahead of Thomas, Chase and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson — during an appearance on Pro Football Talk Live.
“I can’t put myself under those guys, Nabers said. “We’re competing, so I have to put myself over them.”
