The Giants’ offseason storylines are already stacking up, and a few of them point straight at 2026.
One of the biggest names in the mix is Jaxson Dart, who landed on a list of NFL players under pressure to perform in Year 2. The evaluation is blunt: Dart showed flashes in his first season, but the numbers say there’s still plenty of work ahead.
Among 26 quarterbacks who logged at least 340 dropbacks last season, his 67.9 overall PFF grade ranked 23rd, and his 64.2 PFF passing grade came in 24th. He did show some high-end playmaking with a 5.2% big-time throw rate, but the downside was real too - his 3.4% turnover-worthy play rate tied for sixth-highest.
Accuracy was another issue. Dart’s 11.2% plus accurate throw rate tied for last, and his 58.9% accurate attempt rate tied for 21st.
The scouting summary is clear: his arm, athleticism and improvisation give him raw talent, but he has to get better at avoiding bad decisions and sacks. With John Harbaugh now coaching New York, Dart’s development is tied directly to whether the Giants can get back to being competitive.
If he doesn’t take a step in 2026, the next offseason could bring some uncomfortable conversations and maybe even transactions.
Harbaugh’s arrival is also shaping the way people are looking at the franchise as a whole. One piece framed him as a Super Bowl winner and possible Hall of Famer who gives the Giants a championship standard they have failed to reach for too long.
The response from fans was already loud in May, when he drew a standing ovation at the team’s Town Hall event at Beacon Theatre. That moment, according to the reporting, was just the start, and Harbaugh knew how to work the room soon after.
Elsewhere, special teams has become one of the more overlooked parts of the 2026 conversation, especially the return game. Calvin Austin III stood out as a receiver in spring practice, but his most consistent NFL value has come as a punt returner.
He has a punt return touchdown and averages nearly nine yards per return. Braxton Berrios also brings plenty of punt return experience, while Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr. can handle kick returns.
Deonte Banks was also mentioned as a potential kick return option. He may be the most talented candidate because of his speed and athleticism, and if he earns the coaches’ trust, the Giants could end up with a pair of dynamic returners who can flip field position with the ball in their hands.
The offensive line remains part of the conversation too. In a re-grading of major offseason moves, the Giants were credited for trading DT Dexter Lawrence II to the Bengals and using that pick on offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
Before the draft, Harbaugh called the offensive line “ a work in progress.” New York then used one of its first-round picks on the unit.
Mauigoa played mostly right tackle at Miami, but he is expected to move inside to guard with the Giants. Dart believes the team will lean run-first, and Mauigoa is seen as a piece who can help set that tone. In that assessment, the Bengals got a B+, while the Giants earned an A.
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