Giants Full Depth Chart Projection After Free Agency: Starters and Position Battles

There is still much more work to be done on head coach John Harbaugh’s very first New York Giants roster, but already, some clues about developing position battles and potential roster bubble players are starting to surface.

Let’s take a look at where things stand at each position unit.

Quarterbacks

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Starter: Jaxson Dart
Backup: Jameis Winston

Nothing to see here as far as roster battles are concerned. However, don’t be surprised if the Giants add a third quarterback after the draft who can be developed for the long term, as well as perhaps a veteran, which would give them four arms for training camp.

Running Backs

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Starters: Tyrone Tracy, Jr, Cam Skattebo
Backups: Devin Singletary, Eric Gray, Dante Miller

Devin Singletary agreed to a pay cut, so it would be surprising if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, regardless of whether the Giants bring in a draft pick at any point.

The Giants will likely carry four running backs and a fullback (Patrick Ricard). That may seem excessive, but not for a team intent on making power rushing the centerpiece of its offense.

If the Giants, as is expected, bring another running back, that should spell the end of Gray, the team’s fifth-round pick in 2023, and Miller, who signed with them as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Tight Ends

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely — Tight end Isaiah Likely | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Starters: Isaiah Likely, Theo Johnson
Backups: Chris Manhertz, Thomas Findone II, Tanner Conner

The Giants are widely believed to be planning to run a lot of 12- and 13-personnel, but keeping four tight ends, four running backs, and a fullback seems a bit much.

If the Ravens' history is any indication of what the Giants might be looking to do, their three most frequently run personnel packages, in order, were 12 (one back, two tight ends), 11 (one back, one tight end), and 21 (two backs, one tight end).

The most productive packages based on a yards per play average were 21 (6.7 yards per play), 13 (6.3 yards/play), and 11 (5.9 yards per play), according to the Locked On Giants podcast.

Fidone, who missed a large chunk of last season, could be on the bubble here; if so, the plan could be to slide him through to the practice squad. Conner is likely the odd man out in the equation.

Receivers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Starters: Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney
Backups: Isaiah Hodgins, Jalin Hyatt, Ryan Miller, Calvin Austin, Gunner Olszewski, Xavier Gipson, Courtney Jackson

The Giants aren’t done adding receivers for camp. Beyond the three projected starters—Mooney as the slot—the primary roster competitions are:

Austin vs. Olszewski for the return role
Hodgins vs. Hyatt (will one of them finally start contributing on special teams)
A still-to-be-drafted receiver who could challenge Slayton for the WR2 spot.

Offensive Line

New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Starters: LT Andrew Thomas, LG Jon Runyan Jr., C John Michael Schmitz, RG Aaron Stinnie, RT Jermaine Eluemunor
Backups: OT Marcus Mbow, IOL Jake Kubas, IOL Evan Neal, IOL Bryan Hudson

In a case of “tell me what position you’re drafting without telling me,” we are 99.9% certain the Giants’ 2026 draft class will include a guard not just for 2026 but beyond.

Runyan is entering the final year of his deal, and although Stinnie is plugged in at the moment at right guard, he’s more of a left guard, plus he’s unlikely to be the long-term option.

The team apparently hopes Evan Neal will show them something at guard, but they would be best served if they planned for that not to be the case.

Meanwhile, at the backup center, the Giants’ only available roster option is Hudson, though Kubas has taken some practice reps at the position. The Giants hosted Ryan Bates on Monday, so it remains unclear if the two sides will reach an agreement.

Interior Defensive Line

New York Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander | John Jones-Imagn Images

Starters: Dexter Lawrence II, Roy Robertson-Harris
Backups: Darius Alexander, Marlon Tuipulotu, Elijah Chatman

The Giants would benefit from adding depth to this unit, as Tuipulotu and Chatman may be unlikely to remain with the team. The notable roster battle to watch is between Alexander, the second-year player and last year’s third-round pick, and Robertson-Harris, the returning starter who performed well last season.

Edge

New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Starters: Brian Burns, Abdul Carter
Backups: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Caleb Murphy, Chauncey Golston, DeMarvin Leal, Trace Ford

The biggest question at this spot is whether Carter, last year’s first-round draft pick, can hold off Thibodeaux, the 2022 first-round pick. The second biggest question is whether Thibodeaux will even make it to opening day, or if the Giants will look to trade him.

Golston didn’t get to build on his strong 2024 season, his final one for the Cowboys, in which he posted career highs in tackles (56), sacks (5.5), and tackles for loss (5), due to injuries that limited him to just 10 games with 1 start. But he figures to get another crack at showing he’s a player on the rise.

Inside Linebackers

March 12: New York Giants inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds speaks to reporters on a video call. | Patricia Traina | New York Giants On SI

Starters: Tremaine Edmunds, Micah McFadden
Backups: Darius Muasau, Zaire Barnes, Swayze Bozeman

Edmunds is a lock for one of the starting jobs and, in fact, will probably be an every-down linebacker for the Giants.

Assuming the Giants keep a 3-4 base, McFadden holds the incumbent spot. With a deep draft class and a possible shot at Sonny Styles, the Giants are almost certain to add here, making the starter duo look much different than last year.

Safeties

New York Giants safety Jevon Holland | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Starters: Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin
Backups: Jason Pinnock, Ar’Darius Washington, Elijah Campbell, Beau Brade, Patrick McMorris, Raheem Layne

While the thought of Caleb Downs headlining this group might be appealing to many, it would not be surprising if the Giants stick with the status quo, keeping the starting duo of Holland and Nubin, with the hope that the coaching change gets Nubin back on track.

Just in case, though, the Giants have players with prior starting experience in Pinnock and Washington. The real question is whether they have a true playmaker among the group.

Cornerbacks

Cornerback Greg Newsome II | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Starters: Greg Newsome II, Paulson Adebo, Dru Philips (slot)
Backups: Deonte Banks, Korie Black, Art Green, Rico Payton, Jarrick Bernard-Converse, TJ Moore

The loss of Cor’Dale Flott created an even bigger hole on this team, one that the Giants hope Greg Newsome will be able to fill.

The Giants also hope Deonte Banks, last year’s first-rounder, meets expectations, though there are doubts about his fit in Dennard Wilson’s defense.

Regardless, the Giants really don’t have a true CB1 lockdown cornerback. Do they prioritize that over linebacker in the draft? If they think that Edmunds can be their solid man in the middle, perhaps that’s indeed the path the Giants take, which is to go cornerback in the first round. There should be plenty of options, and good cornerbacks typically fly off the board quickly.

Newsome, on a one-year incentive deal, could remain if the Giants move on from Banks.

Specialists

Punter Jordan Stout | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Punter: Jordan Stout
Kicker: Ben Sauls, Jason Sanders, Graham Gano
Long Snapper: Bryan Hudson

Stout as the punter is, the kicking competition this summer will be of interest. We have Gano listed here because he still is on the roster, but we think the Giants are continuing to carry him while he rehabs from neck surgery.

Even if the Giants include Gano in the competition this summer, his injury history is a concern. We suppose the same could be said of Sanders, who missed last year with a hip ailment and who was given a one-year contract by the Giants.

Sauls, meanwhile, is younger and settled the kicking situation last year. But he’s still relatively untested in long-distance pressure situations.

The departure of long snapper Casey Kreiter was a surprise, but the Giants do have Bryan Hudson on the roster, who has done some long snapping before. Whether that’s enough to make his roster spot a bit more secure is yet to be determined.

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