Giants’ Offseason Focus: Could Hollywood Brown Reunite with Harbaugh and Nagy in New York?
With the Super Bowl in the rearview and the NFL offseason officially underway, the New York Giants are shifting into roster-building mode for 2026. This is John Harbaugh’s first offseason at the helm, and with Matt Nagy installed as offensive coordinator, the new regime has some key decisions to make-starting with how to upgrade a wide receiver room that’s thin on depth and big-play potential.
Wide Receiver Room Needs Reinforcements
Right now, the Giants’ receiving corps includes Malik Nabers, who’s working his way back from a season-ending ACL tear with no clear timetable for return. Darius Slayton remains a veteran presence, and Jalin Hyatt is still on the roster, though his limited usage in recent seasons has made him something of a forgotten name.
That’s not a group that strikes fear into opposing secondaries, and the front office knows it. Expect wide receiver to be a priority in both free agency and the draft. There are a few potential paths forward-re-signing Wan’Dale Robinson, targeting a young talent like Ohio State’s Carnell Tate in the draft, or exploring veteran options who can step in and contribute right away.
And one name makes a lot of sense for this new-look Giants offense: Hollywood Brown.
A Familiar Face with Familiar Ties
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has already played for both Harbaugh and Nagy, which gives him a unique edge as a potential free-agent target. Drafted 25th overall by Harbaugh’s Ravens in 2019, Brown later reunited with Nagy in Kansas City, spending the last two seasons in the Chiefs’ system. That familiarity with both the head coach and offensive coordinator could make his transition to New York seamless.
Stylistically, Brown brings a similar skill set to Robinson-undersized, explosive, and capable of stretching the field or working underneath. The key difference?
Durability. Brown has battled through a series of injuries in recent years, including a sternoclavicular joint dislocation that sidelined him for the entire 2024 regular season in Kansas City.
He also dealt with knee and hamstring issues during his time in Baltimore.
But when healthy, Brown’s speed and route-running make him a dynamic weapon. And because of those injury concerns, he likely won’t command a massive contract-Spotrac pegs his projected average annual value just north of $5 million.
Cap Space Crunch: Giants Need to Get Creative
Here’s the rub: the Giants are projected to have only $6.9 million in cap space heading into free agency. That doesn’t leave much room to maneuver, especially if they want to be active in the market. To make a move for someone like Brown-or any other impact player-they’ll need to create space.
The most obvious path is restructuring contracts. High-value deals like those of Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Andrew Thomas could be reworked to free up significant cap room. If the front office goes that route, they could push their available space north of $40 million-plenty of flexibility to add a few key pieces.
And with Brown likely to sign a short-term deal-one or two years, max-this wouldn’t be a long-term financial burden. It’s the kind of low-risk, high-upside move that makes sense for a team trying to reboot its offense around a young quarterback.
Building Around Jaxson Dart
At the end of the day, the Giants’ offseason moves need to revolve around one thing: giving Jaxson Dart the tools to succeed. Whether it’s through the draft, free agency, or both, New York has to surround its young signal-caller with reliable targets who can create separation and make plays after the catch.
Hollywood Brown may not be a WR1 at this stage of his career, but he’s a proven playmaker with ties to the coaching staff and a skill set that fits what the Giants want to do offensively. If the front office can make the numbers work, he could be a smart addition to a room that badly needs a spark.
The Giants have options. Now it’s about execution.