Pending Roster Decisions, Giants Ownership Questions Headline This Week's Mailbag

Welcome to the weekly New York Giants On SI Reader Mailbag! From offseason moves to game-day strategies, nothing is off-limits. So, let's dive right into your questions!

Finally, at least in past proven years, the Giants may have a good HC with a new staff, guys like Neal, Banks, and Hyatt MAY find that a fresh start may be all that they need. I say bring them all back, let the new staff work with them. If they are found to have regressed, even a new staff member cannot fix them, then sure, let them go. Simply, keep them until they prove they are still not good players. Does it make any sense?--Joe G.

New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Joe, how do you know that the lack of progression isn’t on the player?

Look, the Giants had two offensive line coaches and two defensive backs coaches, each with a different teaching style. NONE OF THEM managed to get Neal or Banks to advance in their respective developments.

You think MAYBE there is a possibility that has something to do with the players?

Enough is enough. Move on and get guys in here who are willing to do the work to be great.

P.S. I highly doubt Neal, who by the way is a UFA and therefore cannot be released, even wants to come back here. I have also wondered whether Banks wants to be here for the long term or is just biding his time until he can hit free agency.

Do you think the Giants will start making roster cuts soon since the coaching staff is complete?
— Bad Guy Bald (@BigBellyBe) February 11, 2026

Yes. I presented a list of potential cuts in this article and in my Wednesday podcast.

What will be the most surprising transaction of the offseason? It could be anything NY Giants related: salary cut casualty, unrestricted free agent resigning (own or other team's), positional draft pick, etc. – Pat L.

New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan | David Reginek-Imagn Images

How about something outside the box: the Giants move on from Jamie Gillan, even though $800,000 of his 2026 salary is guaranteed.

Last season, the Giants ranked 29th in punts placed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and 29th in punts placed inside the 5-yard line. They were tied for 14th in touchbacks. And they were 31st in opponents’ average starting field position.

I get it that the coverage team has something to do with pinning an opponent deep, but it starts with the punter. And when was the last time we could say that Gillan legitimately flipped the field position in the Giants’ favor consistently with his punting?

What players from the Ravens, Titans and maybe the Chiefs could be brought over under Harbaugh as he shapes the roster this offseason? #askPTrain
— Chris Gundrum (@ChrisGundrum) February 5, 2026

Note: I know this question came in from last week, but since then we've done a little more work on possibilities. Here is the list of Titans free agents we think make sense and here is a list of Chiefs free agents that might make sense.

I assume you saw the latest report about Steve Tisch and the Epstein e-mails. Do you think that, given this new information, the NFL will force Tisch to sell? – George H.

New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch | Danielle Parhizkaran-Imagn Images

George, Steve Tisch didn’t solely inherit the then-50% of the team (now 45% following the 10% minority share to Julia Koch) after his father Bob passed.

After Bob Tisch’s death, his widow, Joan, became the co-owner. When Joan died, I believe the family's share went equally to her three children, Steve, Jonathan, and Laurie.

Steve, the oldest of the three, has taken up the mantle once held by his father, just as John Mara, the oldest of Wellington’s children, took up his father’s mantle in team affairs.

What I think will eventually happen is that any further statements that come from ownership will list Jonathan and/or Laurie on behalf of the Tisch family's interest in the franchise.

First, let me say that I join the scores of Giants fans rooting for John Mara to beat cancer. I’ve lost several relatives to the disease, and it’s not fun. My question is: if, at some point, John Mara cannot continue to lead the Giants because of the disease, what would the Giants’ long-term contingency plan be? – Jerald S.

Sep 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants co-owner John Mara on the field before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Jerald, let me echo your sentiments about wanting to see John Mara beat his cancer. As you may know, I also dealt with cancer over a decade ago, and not only was it a scary battle, but an emotional and physically draining one.

Like you, I hope that John Mara will one day soon be able to ring the victory bell, signifying a full recovery.

To your question, currently, his younger brother, Chris, the third-oldest of the Mara clan, has stepped up into a more leadership role in representing the family’s interests.

Would Chris move into the role long-term if John’s health situation warranted it? That I’m not so sure of, only because John’s role is not only with the team, but he’s a big presence in league matters.

Chris has always been more on the player personnel side of things, and if he had to assume his brother’s mantle in league matters, I don’t know how much time that would leave him for doing personnel work. But for all I know, maybe he would welcome the opportunity.

I have wondered if perhaps their sister, Susan Mara McDonnell, who is the second oldest of the late Wellington Mara’s 11 children and who is a team board director, would step into a bigger role not just with the team and in representing her family’s side, but within the league if John’s battle continues to drain him of his strength.

But again, here’s hoping John beats cancer and rings that victory bell soon.

Any reservations covering a team whose ownership is one half creepy scum bag and one half complicit phony coward? I know as a fan this franchise is getting to the point where it’s hard to keep rooting for…..
— JN (@Ranger1135) February 12, 2026

The situation with Steve Tisch being linked to Epstein via e-mails is extremely disappointing. What Epstein did was grossly repulsive. That said, I hold out hope that the right decisions will be made in the best interest of the franchise and the league.

It appeared Schlottmann did a very good job filling in for JMS at Center. Some even thought he was an upgrade. So why the rumors about Harbaugh trying to sign Linderbaum as a free agent? Some say that he also regressed last year. Estimates are that he would cost $18 mil a year. Wouldn’t Schlottmann be a less expensive choice? What do you do with JMS? Can he realistically be moved to guard? – Fred E.

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Fred, I think we’re at that point in the year where everyone is going to link every pending free agent from the Titans, Chiefs, and Ravens to the Giants. Look, is Linderbaum an upgrade? I think he is. But I also think he’s a luxury that the Giants aren’t in a position to afford right now.

But to your question, yes, Schlottmann would be less expensive than Linderbaum, though I’m not sure he’s an upgrade over Schmitz, who I think had his best season last year.

Schmitz, to my knowledge, has never played guard at the college or NFL levels, so I don’t think it makes sense to move him there at this point in his career.

@Patricia_Traina #askPTrain

Pat, what is your opinion on the staff that has been assembled? What is different than the past ? Also, what changes do you think will occur with how the team handles the cap and FA with the hire of Dawn Aponte?
— Bill Frantz (@feihc53) February 12, 2026

Bill, I went into detail about the staff in my Thursday podcast. In a nutshell, I like this staff a lot. There is a lot of experience from the NFL level, with several of the members having actually played at either the college or NFL level, in the position that they're going to coach.

Regarding your second question, I think Dawn Aponte is going to make full use of all those salary cap mechanisms that allow for the optimization of the cap that the Giants haven't made heavy (if any) use of.

I did a full breakdown of all of that in my Monday podcast, and then I applied some real-time examples of what I was talking about in my Tuesday show.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? Send it here.

More New York Giants Coverage