Three ways John Harbaugh is already turning the Giants around

John Harbaugh is kicking off his first season as the head coach of the New York Giants, but he's no newbie, and he comes with 18 seasons of head-coaching experience with the Baltimore Ravens.

Considering all of the good experience that Harbaugh brings to the table, it's no surprise that he's hitting the ground running. Even nearly four months before the season starts, he's reshaping and totally changing this franchise into a new vision. Harbaugh is as motivated as ever to prove that he's still one of the finest head coaches in the NFL, and lucky for the Giants, they're about to reap the benefits. Here are three ways Harbaugh is already turning the Giants around, before the season even starts.

Big moves to use it or lose it

The Giants had reached a point in contract negotiations with Dexter Lawrence that just seemed insurmountable. So, instead of wait it out and possibly lose him for nothing in free agency, Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen pulled the trigger on trading Lawrence in a blockbuster move to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It was a tough move, but it shows that Harbaugh isn't afraid to go big and bold to reshape this team.

It's worth noting that Harbaugh's contract makes it clear that he reports right to team ownership, giving him as much power as Schoen instead of putting him beneath the general manager in the front office. So, know that Harbaugh has even more power than your average head coach in these affairs.

A+ draft moves

Harbaugh, Schoen and the Giants absolutely knocked it out of the park with their 2026 NFL draft picks. Thanks to the Lawrence trade, the team had an extra top-10 pick, so the Giants went with Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 and Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. This move secured top talent on both the offensive and defensive sides of the roster.

Notable coaching changes

The Ravens had some strong coaches on their coaching staff, and Harbaugh was able to bring a handful of them over to New York. He hired Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator and Chris Horton as coordinate special teams. In general, Harbaugh has switched up the coaching staff, so it looks totally different from last season, starting from the top down. Don't expect another 4-13 season from this team.