Giants' Early 2027 Cap Calls: Who Stays, Who Walks

The New York Giants’ 90-man training camp roster currently has 40 players whose contracts run through the end of this year.

Obviously, that list of 40 players will be whittled down significantly, and among them, there are five early “no-brainers” for the team to consider from those who have had significant roles on the roster.

Before diving into these decisions, the Giants, per Over the Cap have, as of this writing, $49,937,172 in projected cap space in 2027, based on a $327 million league-wide cap estimate, ranking 11th in the league.

But it’s important to remember that future cap space is fluid, and transactions made this year will affect what the Giants can spend in the future.

With that in mind, here is a very early look at how the Giants may proceed regarding some of their key pending unrestricted free agents.

Let Walk: OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kayvon Thibodeaux is looking to score a massive payday this coming season, the last of his rookie deal.

While his playing at an all-time high level for the Giants in 2026 will help both him and the team, there is a strong chance that if he does deliver the kind of eye-popping numbers his talent suggests he’s capable of producing, he’ll end up pricing himself out of the Giants’ reach.

Spotrac projects an APY of $21.3 million for Thibodeaux based on his career to date. That projected APY would put Thibodeaux 20th among edge defenders based on current rankings.

Beyond the finances, the other primary reason why the Giants are unlikely to re-sign Thibodeaux later this year is that they are loaded at edge defender.

Abdul Carter, who finished last season for Thibodeaux after he was injured, can just as easily move into the starting role, while Arvell Reese, who will play this year as the WILL linebacker, will likely see an increase in his role as he acclimates to life in the NFL.

Keep: C John Michael Schmitz

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

John Michael Schmitz has held down a starting job for the Giants since he was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Schmitz, who started out sluggish relative to his draft pedigree, has gradually improved over the last three seasons. Last year, he posted his best pass-blocking efficiency rating (98.3) after allowing a career-low 14 pressures.

Schmitz emphasized improving his strength this offseason to better help him in the run-blocking department.

Spotrac lists him at an estimated market value of $12.448 million, which would make him the sixth-highest-paid center per year if he gets that.

The one reason, though, the Giants might hesitate with Schmitz—and quite frankly, this is one they can work around if they include a per-game roster bonus—is that he has yet to play a full season because of injury.

Let Walk: G Jon Runyan

New York Giants guard Jon Runyan (76) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jon Runyan has been a solid contributor and a steady technician. But if head coach John Harbaugh is looking to get bigger and more physical up front, Runyan probably doesn’t fit that mold going forward.

Based on his time in Baltimore, Harbaugh has favored bigger, more athletic offensive linemen who can pull in the run blocking game. While Runyan can pull, that’s generally not regarded as one of his strengths.

The Giants, should they indeed move on from Runyan, might instead look to fill the spot with a younger player, giving them a young, still-developing interior (assuming they bring Schmitz back).

Keep: QB Jameis Winston

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yes, Jameis Winston has been a fun addition to the roster. And to be frank, he’s not the worst backup quarterback the Giants have ever had—Mike Glennon, Jake Fromm, Colt McCoy, and Drew Lock would all be in the running for that “dishonor.”

But the reason why it makes sense to bring back Winston is two-fold. First, he’ll be the only other quarterback besides Jaxson Dart on the roster this year who will have a grasp of the system, assuming the team keeps two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

More importantly, Winston has been a positive influence in the locker room and on Dart as he develops into a quality NFL quarterback, and that is something not every backup can bring to the table.

If Winston agrees to sign a two-year extension similar in structure to the deal he’s currently finishing, which adjusts accordingly if he has to step in as the starter, then there is no reason to think that his will be a difficult negotiation, assuming he still wants to play.

Let Walk: RB Devin Singletary

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Had Devin Singletary not agreed to a pay cut, he likely would have been an ex-Giant. Although Singletary has seen his anticipated role shrink with the additions of Tyrone Tracy and Cam Skattebo, Singletary still has some value.

Last season, he was the team’s best pass-blocking running back in picking up the blitz, and it wasn’t even close.

That’s obviously a valuable skill to have on third downs, which is the role Singletary often found himself playing. He also ran with power, which was especially helpful in short yardage.

In two seasons thus far with the Giants, Singletary has converted 80% of his rushing attempts requiring one yard for the first down, the power part of his game showing up after initial contact, where he has averaged 2.8 yards per rush.

The Giants could do worse than to re-sign Singletary, but that said, they’ll probably want to get younger at the position to round out what is already a young and promising running backs group.

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