NY Giants Can Surprise People in 2026 — If These 5 Things Are Addressed

Believe it or not, there is a road that leads to respectable Giants football.

The New York Giants need a complete reset this offseason. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants fans are tired of holding out hope for a promising season. They have gone through the same tedious cycle too many times.

The 2025 campaign was supposed to inspire some optimism, but the Giants are on track to either match or fall short of their record from a year ago.

However--and try not to roll your eyes--there is a conceivable blueprint for success that can take shape next season.

Rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo added new life to the offense, and receiver Malik Nabers will resume his post as No. 1 wide receiver once he's healthy.

Defenders Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Abdul Carter should lead a more well-rounded front-seven under a new defensive coordinator.

These pieces are a start, but not enough. That said, if the following points get resolved this offseason, the Giants might just finally give their fanbase something to cheer about in 2026.

Find the right head coach

Interim head coach Mike Kafka's audition to become the full-time Giants head coach hasn't gone well given the record. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This one is a no-brainer, but it has apparently eluded the organization in the post-Tom Coughlin era. Although Brian Daboll earned "Coach of the Year" honors in his first season, won a road playoff game, and had a fiery personality, the Giants ended up losing their way under his watch.

The Giants desperately need a leader of men to implement a system that will facilitate continued growth and stress accountability. This approach is especially crucial with a young starting quarterback on the roster, but it can also have a huge impact on a defense that has indisputably underachieved this year.

Regardless of the new head coach's area of expertise, hiring the right coach who can immediately command respect, eliminate the country-club atmosphere in the locker room, and instill discipline and accountability is the crucial first step to straightening out what's become a locker-room mess.

Play with more discipline

The Giants have gotten too many of these this season. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Although Big Blue has clear deficiencies, excessive penalties make the team look far worse than it should.

There have been 102 flags that have counted against New York, the fifth-highest total in the NFL, per NFL Penalties.com. Those penalties have cost the Giants 880 yards. That inexcusable number is the fourth-worst in the league.

This squad just cannot help itself. It is tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for most illegal contact infractions (five) and is 31st in defensive pass interference penalties (13 for 285 yards).

The pre-snap penalties are the biggest problem. The Giants rank second in the league with 33 pre-snap penalties on offense.

This all stems back to discipline and attention to detail, which have eluded the Giants of late.  

Stop the run

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had an off-year in 2025, but still needs another competent partner alongside him to defend the run. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

No, you are not experiencing deja vu. New York's run defense remains putrid, ranked 31st in the league.

The hope was that rookie Darius Alexander could develop into a solid option alongside Dexter Lawrence. However, after a slow start, the jury is still out on Alexander, who has only shown bursts of promise.

The Giants as a whole have failed to mount adequate resistance against opposing running backs. They are giving up an NFL-worst 5.6 yards per carry and have allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (153.6).

Imagine how this team would look if it could control the tempo on defense. The late-game implosions that fans have become numb to should occur much less frequently if New York is more organized at the first and second levels.

The organization would be wise to either re-sign McFadden or add a reliable veteran linebacker, such as Alex Anzalone or Alex Singleton. A little more help in this area could go a long way in 2026.

Add quality cornerback depth

Oct 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants cornerback Cor'Dale Flott (28) intercepts the pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson (2) during the fourth quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The biggest concern regarding the secondary centered around the second outside cornerback slot. Refreshingly, 2022 third-round pick Cor'Dale Flott has taken hold of the position amid a breakout year.

It is instead No. 1 Paulson Adebo who has underwhelmed. The free-agent acquisition missed five games with a knee injury and has not been the playmaker he was with the New Orleans Saints.

Adebo is under contract for another two seasons. If the Giants do not bring back Flott, they will be frighteningly thin at corner.

The Deonte Banks experiment has run its course. It is time to try again. New York will have an opportunity to scoop up a cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft.  

Settle the kicker situation

There is a very strong chance that New York Giants place kicker Graham Gano will not be on the team next year. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Giants have messed around at kicker long enough. Their trust in the unhealthy and aging Graham Gano cost them games, but they remained loyal nonetheless. Younghoe Koo is also seemingly past his prime, having missed two field goals in Sunday's 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders, and his short tenure with the Giants is over.

Jude McAtamney did not work out, either, as was evident following two failed extra point attempts in the squad's Week 7 collapse at Denver. No matter which path New York has taken, it's ended up in flames. The Giants must finally break that pattern in 2026.

It may be too risky to ask management to draft a viable kicker, so a trustworthy free agent like Eddy Pineiro could be a fine choice. He is a perfect 25-of-25 for the San Francisco 49ers this season.

Even if Big Blue cannot lure him to the Meadowlands, it is obvious someone else should be attempting kicks next season.

This may seem like a rather lengthy list, but these objectives are manageable. Will the Giants be able to accomplish all these items and then some? Fans nervously await the answer to that question.

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