8 Big Winners and Losers From Giants' Phase 3 OTAs

In case it wasn’t clear given New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh’s resume and reputation, the Big Blue Country Club atmosphere that existed in previous years is a thing of the past.

Rightfully so. There were far too many years when the coaches would go easy on the players in the spring and summer, only to see them come out of the gate looking sluggish and failing to set the tone for the long season ahead.

That practice has stopped with Harbaugh. For one, he has taken full advantage of every minute of practice time allowed by the CBA, the lone exception being the cancellation of OTA No. 10, which Harbaugh replaced with a team bonding excursion.

The practices have been far tighter and run uptempo, considering they have been no-contact.

And the coaches aren’t being lenient when it comes to mental mistakes, with there haing been reports by the Giants’ in-house media of players being pulled off the field by coaches if they make a mental error.

All of this doesn’t necessarily guarantee better times for these Giants, but it certainly can’t hurt to raise expectations now, which is what Harbaugh has been doing.

And so, with OTAs in the books and a three-day mandatory minicamp on deck beginning Monday, let’s look back at the winners and losers from Phase 3 of the offseason program.

Winner: WR Odell Beckham Jr

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) participates in drills with teammates during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Odell Beckham Jr has said numerous times that he never wanted to leave the Giants. So after multiple workouts, he’s back where his career got started, just as he hoped.

Even if he doesn't make the 53-man roster, the worst case is that Beckham retires as a Giant, still bringing his career full circle.

Loser: WR Jalin Hyatt

New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (13) attempts to catch a pass during a Thursday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Oct. 9, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Between drafting Malachi Fields and adding veteran receivers like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham Jr., Hyatt’s future with Big Blue certainly doesn’t look promising.

He also suffered an injury in OTA #3, which cost him some practice time, though he returned to practice. Still, the Giants have continued to draft or add veteran depth over him, a clear sign that Hyatt is more than likely on borrowed time.

Winner: CB Deonte Banks

May 21, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo (21) and cornerback Deonte Banks (2) interact during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

Despite the additions of rookie Colton Hood and veteran Greg Newsome II, Banks has been getting an opportunity to compete for the CB2 spot vacated by the departure of Cor’Dale Flott to Tennessee.

It probably helps that new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s scheme is a lot more like what former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale ran, a scheme in which Banks, who played in it during his rookie campaign, actually showed flashes.

That Banks has not only been mixing in with the starters this spring but has also been making plays that have undoubtedly built up his confidence bodes well for his chances this summer.

Loser: DL Sam Roberts

Defensive end Sam Roberts | Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Roberts was one of the first veteran defensive linemen signed by the team, way back in March during the height of free agency.

However, he’s recovering from an undisclosed ailment for which he had surgery, and in the interim, the Giants added even more depth to the defensive line room, including DJ Reader, Shelby Harris, Lei Fotu, Zacch Pickens and draft pick Bobby Jamison-Travis.

Even though Roberts is a veteran, it can’t be a good thing that he’s had to stand by on the sideline as a spectator while the installs are going on.

Winner: OL Marcus Mbow

New York Giants OL Marcus Mbow (71) warms up before a game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium, Nov 16, 2025, East Rutherford, NJ, USA. | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mbow took over as the swing tackle last year as a rookie after James Hudson III had his infamous meltdown in a Week 2 loss against Dallas.

Mbow, to his credit, held his own when pressed into action, so much so that he has been filling in for Andrew Thomas at left tackle while Thomas has his reps managed.

Loser: The Kicking Specialists

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants kicker Ben Sauls (30) kicks a field goal in the third quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Given the unpredictability of the Meadowlands winds, it’s a shame that the kickers haven’t been able to get inside MetLife Stadium to actually learn the wind patterns a lot better, for such knowledge can offer a competitive advantage.

Perhaps later on in the summer and into the fall, the plan will be for them to get inside the stadium once or twice a week to get a better field for the varying wind patterns, but for now, thanks to the World Cup having taken up residence in the stadium through mid-July, kickers Ben Sauls and Dominic Zvada and punter Jordan Stout will just have to wing it.

Winner: DL Roy Robertson-Harris

Robertson-Harris was one of three players to suffer a torn Achilles this spring, his occurring on turf. But unlike the other two players (receiver Gunner Olszewski and undrafted cornerback Thaddeus Dixon), Robertson-Harris has not been put on IR as of yet, with head coach John Harbaugh saying that the veteran defensive lineman has a chance of possibly returning later in the season.

Why is this so for Robertson-Harris and not for the other two players? For one, Robertson-Harris was a starter last year who was expected to have a significant role on defense despite the addition of all the veteran talent at the position.

Second, Harbaugh’s statement makes one believe that maybe Robertson-Harris’s injury wasn’t as bad as the ones suffered by the other two players.

And third, if Robertson-Harris is able to return in six to seven months, that would mean getting him back right around the time when the schedule heats up and it’s crunch time.

To be clear, this is all a long shot, as ultimately the Giants might find themselves in a position where they need that roster spot. But for now, it apparently isn’t hurting them to carry a guy on the 90-man roster, even if that guy won’t be taking any snaps for them until at best after the bye.

Loser: WR Calvin Austin III

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III (82) catches the ball during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Austin’s path to a roster spot might very well have become more difficult given the addition of Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios, both of whom have experience in the slot, where Austin currently projects on the depth chart.

Even if Austin can also show enough versatility to give the team snaps on the perimeter, that might not make as much of a difference given the presence of Malachi Fields, Beckham, and the eventual returns of Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton from their respective rehabs.

Austin can give the Giants snaps as a punt returner, but Berrios can do that and also give the team snaps as a kickoff returner, making him the closest player the Giants have on the roster to replace what they lost in Gunner Olszewski.

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