4 Thoughts Regarding Giants’ Reported Roster Building Plans

Normally, when a new head coach comes in, he brings with him a mighty big broom to sweep out some of what he’s inherited in favor of bringing in his own players to fit the scheme.

That might not necessarily be the case for New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh, who, while expected to make changes to the roster, doesn’t appear to be looking to make wholesale changes.

Nor should he. Although the Giants finished last season with four wins, the general consensus was that the lack of quality coaching made an otherwise solid young core on both sides of the ball underperform.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is apparently hearing the same thing. He reported that Harbaugh and the Giants feel that there is significant talent on the roster and that while there will be some turnover, it “doesn’t seem like they are in overhaul mode.”

This approach makes sense. When Harbaugh was hired, he spoke about the young talent core the Giants had.

Thus, it’s logical to assume that he wasn’t just paying lip service to the franchise. If the roster was badly broken, there would not only have been questions as to whether Harbaugh would have taken the Giants job, the first and only one he interviewed for.

Here are some other rumors from the combine regarding the Giants.

Giants more interested in running backs than thought?

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) speaks in a press conference after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN reported that the Giants are interested in adding to their running back room, either through the draft or free agency, because Harbaugh wants to move toward a more power-running game, similar to what he had in Baltimore.

Again, this idea makes sense on numerous levels. First, the Giants haven’t had a rushing offense that has consistently worn down opposing defenses, many of whom these days field smaller, lighter, and quicker linebackers at the second level.

Second, it’s not a big secret that Devin Singletary is likely to be a salary cap cut; the Giants are looking to upgrade at that position by potentially putting a rookie at that spot.

Adding a power back to a group that includes Tyrone Tracy Jr and Cam Skattebo makes sense, as it could also potentially allow for the Giants to limit the number of designed runs for quarterback Jaxson Dart.

But on a grander scale, the Giants adding to the running backs room could be to cover their bases if they feel that Tyrone Tracy is not a long-term option, and if there are concerns about Cam Skattebo’s hard-nosed running style leading to a shorter shelf life.

That said, it would be a stunning development if the Giants look to draft a running back on Day 1 or Day 2, not with there being so many holes to plug on the defensive side of the ball, including middle linebacker and cornerback.

Could the Giants go after Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker, a pending unrestricted free agent and the Super Bowl LX MVP? Walker has an estimated annual market value of $9 million based on a 4-year, $36.041 million contract.

That amount might be a bit rich for the Giants, whose salary cap space isn’t exactly overflowing, but the logic is certainly there for adding to the running back group if the team is gravitating toward a more power-running game.

The Giants Big 3 UFAs

Oct 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (72) blocks Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Harbaugh told reporters at the combine that he would be open to having the Giants’ top pending free agents–receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, and tackle Jermaine Eluemunor–return, but added only if the value was right.

It is widely expected that of the three, Robinson is 99% certain to be out the door, and a team believed to be one to watch for his services is Tennessee, whose offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, was the Giants' head coach when Robinson was drafted to fill a specific role within the offense Daboll was designing at the time for the Giants.

Flott is probably right behind Robinson in terms of being all but out the door. This is a deep cornerback class in which the Giants can find a younger, less expensive option that better fits what new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is believed to be looking for.

Eluemunor, who is looking for a payday after arguably having the best season of his career, might stand the best chance of returning.

As noted on the Locked On Giants podcast, if Eluemunor’s market value comes in at what Spotrac has projected to be two years, $13.33 million or $8.7 million per year, that’s only a $1.7 million raise from the two-year, $14 million ($7 million per year) contract he signed with the Giants.

Other Free Agents

Sep 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns guard Wyatt Teller (77) at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Keep an eye on pending UFA guard Wyatt Teller of the Cleveland Browns as one of the very first free agents the Giants reach out to. Teller was coached last year by new Giants offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren, and with the Giants needing guards in the worst way–Jon Runyan Jr is the only guard with experience under contract–Teller makes way too much sense as a target.

As for Ravens pending UFA center Tyler Linderbaum, it’s hard to imagine that the Giants wouldn’t be interested in him.

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If the Ravens, who made it known they put a generous offer on the table to make Linderbaum one of the highest-paid, if not the highest-paid, centers in the league, don’t yet have a deal, then what are the odds of the Giants getting a deal done with Linderbaum, who would unquestionably upgrade their run-blocking game?

It just seems that, given the Giants' current and projected cap situation, the likelihood of them spending big money on Teller, Linderbaum, and the return by Eluemunor is more of a dream than a realistic possibility unless Dawn Aponte can figure out a way to manipulate the cap so that the Giants don’t have to pay the piper down the line.