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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) is shown in the fourth quarter, Sunday, January 4, 2026, in East Rutherford. The Giants beat the Cowboys, 34-17. Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Giants Urged to Make This One Offseason Move

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Mar 1, 2026 12:00 PM ET

New York Giants fans have to be feeling excited this offseason as they watch the team’s roster hopefully get retooled into a contender behind new head coach John Harbaugh.

While he is inheriting a totally different roster with its own unique challenges from the one he had in Baltimore, Harbaugh is a seasoned pro who has more than enough experience to know the types of players and leaders he wants in his locker room.

Such is the work that lies ahead of him and general manager Joe Schoen, beginning at the NFL combine this week as they get deep into evaluating the best college talents who might pique their interest for a selection at the No. 5 pick in April’s draft.

With some positions on the roster about to have gaping holes due to a key player entering free agency or a need for depth, there are a few different directions the Giants can go between now and night one when their first card is officially handed in.

Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano has exactly one offseason move in his mind for all four teams in the NFC East, and his choice for the Giants is all about what they should do at their first-round pick.

To fully capitalize on their chances and build a well-rounded team for the 2026 season and beyond, Manzano argues that New York's main priority must be selecting an offensive tackle with its first-round pick.

“If [Jaxson] Dart continues to show a reluctance to avoid hits, the Giants better make sure they surround him with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL,” Manzano said.

“They’re not close in that regard because the unit lacks depth and the team’s best lineman is rarely available, with left tackle Andrew Thomas missing at least four games in each of the past three seasons.

To make matters worse, center John Michael Schmitz Jr. has dealt with injuries since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2023.

New York’s No. 5 pick needs to be used on the offensive line. Yes, the skill positions are also thin after significant injuries to wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo, but this team has to protect Dart at all costs.”

In addition to his statement, Manzano says the Giants should take an offensive tackle with the special athleticism to keep up with the extended play-action plays that tend to break out of the pocket, thanks to quarterback Jaxson Dart's dual-threat abilities.

Should the Giants Really Draft an Offensive Tackle at No. 5?

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Giants' options with their first-round pick seem endless, given they finally solved their long-held issue at quarterback with the early rise of Jaxson Dart, who showed flashes in his rookie season.

Compared to some of the other teams holding picks in the top 10, there remains an intriguing uncertainty about which direction New York will take. Along with the offensive line, the team is waiting to see what happens with Wan’Dale Robinson and Cor’Dale Flott in free agency.

The Giants are not blessed with much draft capital this year either, leaving the potential to shop the pick to a suitor desperate to move up the board and grab a prospect they really love. That has already been a surprising element of the league rumors at the combine.

If they do stay put at the time of the No. 5 pick, the need to choose one of the premier offensive tackles in the class only ratchets up if the Giants lose Jermaine Eluemunor to the open market, where he is expected to draw interest after a strong pass-blocking season.

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Elumunor and left tackle Andrew Thomas were an impressive duo of bookends for the Giants in 2025, allowing a combined four sacks and 32 total pressures in 29 combined games.

The two blockers were excellent in buying Jaxson Dart time to play outside of the pocket and flash his legs, which became such an important weapon in the offensive game plan that improved the unit into a top 20 in scoring and 15 in total yardage.

One would suspect at this point that the Giants are very interested in keeping Eluemunor around to help ensure the starting front has some stability heading into the 2026 season, especially after the NFL just announced the increase in the annual salary cap, which already bought them some extra space.

After that goal is accomplished in free agency, it's possible the Giants still feel inclined to bolster the depth behind their veterans, having both Marcus Mbow and a top prospect such as Miami's Francis Mauigoa or Utah's Spencer Fano, who have both been mocked to the franchise recently.

Still, interior depth can be achieved at a lower price if the Giants can find the right pieces that fit the unit's strengths. Other positions, like receiver, might not be easy to fill, given that the premier names demand the biggest contracts, and that might play out in the Giants’ inability to retain Robinson and their need to replace him with their most valuable pick.

It was a rare sight, but the Giants finally had to have some good feelings about the work they had done with the offensive line. Depth is always needed with that position group, but it was far from the main reason they failed to win more games last season.

Which is why it seems most likely that they will target a different position that received more of the ire from the fanbase and outsiders all year long.

This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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