March 22, 2026, 9:01 a.m. ET
There are new shotcallers in the New York Giants‘ building as the 2026 NFL season gets ready to begin. John Harbaugh is the new head coach, and he has brought his minions along with him to attempt to turn the listless Giants around and make them winners again.
That means that players who were favored and possibly coddled by the previous coaching staffs will no longer get the benefit of the doubt. Even general manager Joe Schoen, who selected many of these players, will not be able to go to bat for them as he is no longer the only decision-maker on personnel.
Here are five Giants whose time could be running out with Big Blue.
The Giants drove hard to sign former Baltimore Raven Tyler Linderbaum in free agency last week, a clear indication that they are not happy with Schmitz, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. They were blown out of the water in the marketplace by the Las Vegas Raiders, who signed Linderbaum to an egregious, three-year, $81 million deal with $60 million in guarantees. One has to wonder what would have happened to Schmitz if they had landed Linderbaum. Don’t expect the search to end there, however. Harbaugh wants a physical, dominant offensive line, especially in the middle, and Schmitz has not shown that he can be either of those in his first three seasons here.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux
It’s no secret the Giants will move Thibodeaux if the right offer is floated under their noses. So far, that hasn’t happened. He is set to play under his fifth-year option price of $14.75 million this year and then will be eligible for free agency. Thibodeaux has had issues staying healthy over his four years with the Giants and is considered a luxury now that Abdul Carter will be used more prominently in the pass rush. It’s easy to see the Giants making a pre-draft trade involving the former first-round pick, but don’t expect a massive return if they do. If they can’t, it will be interesting to see how new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson deploys him.
Cornerback Deonte Banks
The Giants would also gladly move Banks if the right offer came along. He’s no longer a starter, and one has to wonder what the Giants were thinking, not only taking him in the first round back in 2023, but trading up to do so. He’ll have to be totally remade in order to stay with this team, as he is fundamentally unsound and inconsistent. Perhaps Wilson and his staff can redeem Banks, but the Giants will likely decline his fifth-year option, meaning they’re prepared to move on.
Guard Jon Runyan Jr.
Runyan is a solid veteran guard who rarely embarrasses himself on the field, but the status quo is no longer acceptable in the Harbaugh era. As stated, the Giants are seeking to establish a punishing offensive line and tried to add Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency, but he chose to go to New England instead. Adding a veteran guard is still high on the Giants’ wish list this spring. They appear to be a little desperate here. They even re-signed two former disappointing high draft picks in Evan Neal and Joshua Ezuedu. Runyan is entering the final year of the three-year deal he signed before the 2024 season, and he doesn’t seem to be in the team’s long-term plans.
Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt
After three head-scratching years, Hyatt is still in the building. In 2023, the Giants traded up in the third round to get Hyatt, and he has perplexed even the most seasoned experts ever since. He’s played in 41 games over his three seasons here and has been targeted just 73 times, catching 36 of them for a total of 470 yards, and has yet to score a touchdown. He will be only 25 come September and is still one of the fastest players in the NFL. That will intrigue Harbaugh and his staff, but can they make something out of Hyatt? We’ll see. Don’t expect him to stick if they can’t. Wide receiver spots will be at a premium this summer.
