Joe Schoen’s offseason track record has been a mixed bag at best, but the Giants do have a handful of contracts that could age beautifully if everything clicks in 2026. With John Harbaugh now in the building, there’s a real chance a few of these deals start looking a lot smarter than they did on paper.
The best value on the roster might be on the offensive line. Jermaine Eluemunor, who was one of the most efficient tackles in football during a contract year last season, came back to New York on a deal worth $13 million per year. Put him next to top-ten pick Francis Mauigoa, and he looks like a strong bet to beat that number.
Right behind him is fellow lineman Jon Runyan. He’s in the final year of a three-year, $30 million contract and has been just average so far. But if the Giants’ line takes a real step forward and climbs into the NFL’s top ten, Runyan could finally start looking like a worthwhile investment and set himself up for a raise next offseason.
There’s also a chance Patrick Ricard becomes one of the sneakiest bargains in the league, even if fullbacks don’t usually get treated that way. The Giants are paying him $3.8 million per year after he followed Harbaugh over from the Baltimore Ravens, and he’s expected to be a major piece of New York’s revamped rushing attack. Baltimore leaned on 12 personnel at the third-highest rate in the NFL last season and finished second in total EPA in those looks, so if the Giants use Ricard the same way, his impact could be huge.
On the defensive side, DJ Reader is in New York on a two-year, $12.5 million deal after 10 NFL seasons and is being counted on to help replace Dexter Lawrence II on the interior. The 32-year-old nose tackle may not rack up flashy numbers, but he should strengthen a run defense that was porous in 2025, and that alone could make the contract look like a bargain.
The most projection-heavy name on the list is Isaiah Likely. He’s moving into a full-time starting role for the first time in his career and is already the fifth-highest-paid tight end in football, though upcoming deals for Tucker Kraft and Sam LaPorta will push him down. If Likely becomes the No. 2 pass catcher in Matt Nagy’s offense, his $13.3 million per year deal will look like a steal.
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Damon Bankston is in the mix for one of those developmental spots at running back, while Ryan Schernecke and Jarrod Gray are both trying to prove they can survive the numbers game up front. On defense, Ben Barten and Anquin Barnes Jr. are battling the reality of a crowded interior line, and Barnes in particular has the look of a player who could force the staff to keep watching a little longer before deciding how many of these young hopefuls can actually stick. [Read more 🡒]
These 2 Giants Signings Could Make Or Break Harbaugh's First Year
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Reader is expected to anchor the nose tackle spot and help steady a run defense that needs real repair, which makes his role feel especially important in a year when New York is trying to redefine itself. Mooneys fit may be just as intriguing, because his value will depend on how quickly he carves out snaps in a receiver group that is still sorting itself out, leaving the Giants with one more roster question they will have to answer before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Andrew Thomas Just Got Hit With A Brutal Giants Prediction
Andrew Thomas is still the Giants most important pass-protection piece as the team tries to settle Jaxson Dart into life as a starting quarterback. After a strong season that drew high marks from Pro Football Focus, Thomas has the kind of track record New York wants anchoring the left side, and he has already shown he can make life difficult for elite edge rushers when the matchup calls for it.
The concern, of course, is what happens when the schedule turns ugly and the Giants have to trust Thomas to hold up against one of the leagues most disruptive names. He has handled Myles Garrett well before, but the latest chatter around that matchup is less about Thomas rsum and more about how much punishment Dart might be asked to absorb when the pressure is at its peak. [Read more 🡒]