NFL
Season Outlook
John Harbaugh starts fresh after 18 years in Baltimore. There’s plenty of work ahead. The Giants are coming off a 4-13 season rife with injuries and major holes at key positions, but they may have their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart. His ability to avoid injury, and the health of other young players like Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo linger over a franchise trying to climb its way out of the NFC East basement.
What's Changed
Beyond the coaching change, the Giants flipped Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati for the No. 10 overall draft pick, then used plus and their own No. 5 choice on linebacker Arvell Reese and lineman Francis Mauigoa. In free agency, New York added tight end Isaiah Likely and receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III to rebuild its pass-catching depth, while also signing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Bigger Role & Sophomore Breakout
Likely often split tight end targets with Mark Andrews while with the Ravens. His experience with a dual-threat passer should help him build quick chemistry with Dart as a reliable target — especially with the coach who knows him well. It took Abdul Carter about three months to find his footing as a pass rusher. Of his four rookie-year sacks, 3.5 came after December. He finished with 66 pressures, 11th among all edge defenders.
Key Question
Are Skattebo and Nabers ready? One claims to be. A gruesome ankle dislocation in October ended the hard-nosed running back’s 2025 season, while New York’s dynamic wideout suffered an ACL tear in Week 4. Reports on Skattebo have him set to go for Week 1. The updates on Nabers are more ominous. Both need to be on the field if the Giants are going to be a legitimate team. The lack of depth at both skill positions doesn’t allow for anything else.
Prediction
The Giants aren’t as good as some think. New York can only get to 5-12 and remain at the bottom of the division. Dart confirms he has franchise QB potential, but his reckless nature will be costly and lead to missed time. Neither Skattebo nor Nabers is fully recovered from their 2025 injuries and it takes too much time for them to get back to full strength. Harbaugh proves his best days as a head coach might be behind him.
X-Factor
From his Pro Bowl rookie season through the first four games of 2025, Malik Nabers looked every bit like the receiver the Giants hoped for when they drafted him out of LSU. Getting him back to 100 percent for the opener against Dallas — or soon after — will determine the offense's ceiling.
Final Scorecard
- Offense: 6
- Defense: 6
- Coaching: 6
- X-Factor Upside: 8
- Schedule Strength: 5