Where NY Giants Rank According to Projected Cap Space

The Giants have a long way to go before they can feel comfortable about their salary cap situation.

The Giants cap situation isn't the greatest at the moment, but the good news is it can be fixed. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

There is a good chance that new head coach John Harbaugh will be the New York Giants' biggest addition of the offseason, but the team will still need to make some moves in free agency. Multiple position groups require the organization's attention, and that could cost a pretty penny.

The Giants do not have the financial freedom they did last year, when they signed Paulson Adebo, Jevon Holland, and Darius Slayton to sizable contracts. Big Blue is severely limited at the moment.

New York has $6.9 million in salary cap space, per Mark Chichester of Pro Football Focus, which ranks 20th in the NFL. It is always concerning when a last-place squad is strapped for cash.

When a franchise invests significant money in personnel and still cannot climb out of the basement, dysfunction is usually rampant.

The Giants hired Harbaugh to properly utilize all the expensive talent they have on their roster. A Super Bowl-winning coach should definitely fix many of their issues, but sustained success will be unattainable until management gets the cap in order.

New York has struggled in this critical area for some time now. Harbaugh realizes change is needed, hence why he is bringing in NFL executive Dawn Aponte to serve as senior vice president of football operations and strategy. Her accounting background could be instrumental in helping the Giants optimize their spending.

Efficiency is not attained without sacrifice, however. If Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen plan on pursuing pricey free agents like center Tyler Linderbaum or tight end Isaiah Likely, they will need to make some cuts.

How the NY Giants can free up space

Jan 20, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen introduces John Harbaugh (not pictured) as the next New York Giants head coach at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The Giants can create roughly $15 million in savings by releasing running back Devin Singletary, kicker Graham Gano, and offensive lineman James Hudson III -- approximately $5 million in dead money combined.

Logic dictates that the team will indeed bid farewell to those three players.

New York can clear even more cap space by cutting inside linebacker Bobby Okereke and guard Jon Runyan Jr. A whopping $14.751 million will come off the books if the front office decides to trade edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Okereke has excelled before with the team, Runyan logged almost 1,100 offensive snaps last season, and Thibodeaux is one of Big Blue's best run defenders. Still, none of them appear to be indispensable. Moreover, Harbaugh has no prior attachment to them.

If the Giants want to reel in a big fish or two in free agency, they will either have to turn over the roster or work out contract restructures with stars like Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, and Andrew Thomas.

Before engaging in such maneuvers, the revamped management structure must determine whether this is the year to be aggressive in the open market. Again, John Harbaugh himself can be seen as a major acquisition. He is expected to deliver the franchise additional wins just on his own merit.

But he also has a vision he wants to put into action, and it could include plenty of dollar signs. While the Giants presently have little wiggle room, they will not take long to climb the salary cap rankings if they so choose.

Fans are waiting in anticipation to see how the Giants approach this offseason, and perhaps the same can be said of ownership.

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