Good morning, New York Giants fans! Here are the stories you need to know as the 2026 roster is still taking shape.
New York Giants roster age ranks middle of the pack entering 2026 season | USAToday.com
According to Spotrac, the average age of the 53-man roster for the Giants is 26.7 years old, ranking right in the middle of the league at No. 14. There are 12 teams with an average roster age between 26.6-26.8 so Big Blue is right in the middle of a large group. The NFL average roster age is 26.6, according to Spotrac.
The offense is relatively young, especially the core pieces. Quarterback
Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo both enter their second seasons while star wide receiver Malik Nabers is going into his third campaign in the NFL. On the defensive side of the ball, veterans like edge rusher Brian Burns, cornerback Greg Newsome II and safety Jevon Holland should provide some strong leadership for a young group of players including linebacker Arvell Reese and edge rusher Abdul Carter.
2014 OBJ vs. 2026 Odell
Darius Slayton’s role on Giants remains unclear as he sticks on roster | New York Daily News
Slayton is not far removed from leading the team in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons, with 724 yards in 2022 and 770 in 2023. He has been an invaluable shoulder for Nabers to lean on, clarifying responsibilities for the young receiver in the huddle at times so the Giants’ top wideout can play fast and free.
He also is just one more Giant receiver injury away from this offense suddenly featuring him in the rotation again, and he has proven in the past that he can perform when he gets that opportunity. So the Giants’ 2019 fifth-round pick out of Auburn has been here before. It’s just a question of how much longer he’ll be here.
Winners and Losers from Every NFL Team’s 2026 Roster Cuts | Bleacher Report
Winner: CB Deonte Banks. By most estimations, Deonte Banks first three seasons in the NFL have been a massive disappointment. The 24th overall pick in the 2023 draft has made 35 starts over that span, but his passer rating against was over 120 each of the past two years. Banks appears to be taking full advantage of a fresh start under new head coach John Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Wilson’s aggressive scheme calls for a lot of press coverage, and Banks has taken to it well. His offseason wasn’t flawless, but the youngster went from potentially being on the roster bubble to having a real shot to start in Week 1.
Loser: OL Evan Neal. Evan Neal’s tenure with the Giants has fallen well short of expectations for a No. 7 overall pick. Since New York selected him in the 2022 draft, he has struggled to establish himself as a reliable starter at either tackle or guard. Neal spent much of the summer with the third-team offense, an indication that he has lost ground in the competition for a meaningful role. At this stage, he faces an uphill climb to revive his standing with the Giants.
Giants 53-man roster breakdown: Odell Beckham Jr. is back; what comes next for NY? | The Athletic
Schmitz, a second-round pick in 2023, is the only locked-in starter remaining from the 18 picks made in the 2022 and 2023 drafts. OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, ILB Micah McFadden and CB Deonte Banks, who could start this season, are the only other players remaining from those two draft classes.
The only intrigue at offensive line was the backup center battle between Hudson and Patrick. It seemed like Patrick was ahead in the competition since he was first up to replace Schmitz in the preseason finale. But the Giants elected to roll with the 25-year-old Hudson, who is eight years younger than Patrick. Hudson’s youth comes with inexperience — he has only played three career snaps — but there’s upside for the future, which is important as Schmitz enters the final year of his rookie contract. Patrick could return to the practice squad, but he may have opportunities elsewhere with center injuries striking around the league.
Every NFL team’s highest-graded player from the 2026 preseason | PFF
New York Giants: S Tyler Nubin, 91.4. The 47th selection of the 2024 NFL Draft started all three of the Giants’ preseason games this summer and excelled in the process. He recorded a 91.3 PFF coverage grade, with just one reception allowed on throws where he was the primary coverage defender.
The only question is how much
Top 10 breakout candidates for this NFL season | Yahoo Sports
Giants QB Jaxson Dart. There was a weird stretch when people were questioning whether Dart was the answer for the Giants. It’s unclear what more he could have done as a rookie, aside from stay healthy.
Dart looked good as a rookie, though the missed time was a concern. He had 2,272 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions with 487 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns despite starting only 12 games. This season he should have Malik Nabers for most of the season and a better coaching staff to work with. Last year’s first-round draft pick can leave no doubt that he’s the Giants’ quarterback of the foreseeable future.
One bold prediction for every NFL team in 2026: Giants make stunning run | CBSSports.com
Prediction: The Giants will make the Super Bowl. The Giants are going to make the Super Bowl in their first year with John Harbaugh. They have the talent between Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, Malik Nabers, Andrew Thomas, Francis Mauigoa, Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese and more. Now, they have the coach to bring it all together. Harbaugh made the AFC title game in 2008 with rookie QB Joe Flacco and won 14 games in Lamar Jackson’s second season, so I’m banking on a big year for Jaxson Dart as the Giants will be the Cinderella team of the 2026 season. They could follow in the 2025 Patriots footsteps. Both the 2025 Patriots and 2026 Giants were coming off 4-13 seasons, both hired a veteran coach (Vrabel vs. Harbaugh) and both had a second-year quarterback (Drake Maye vs Jaxson Dart).
From Big Blue View
- Giants-Dallas Cowboys odds, Week 1: Giants will open as underdogs
- Braxton Berrios signing: Giants add veteran receiver/return man to practice squad
- Jalin Hyatt will return as part of Giants’ practice squad
- No waiver claims for Giants
- Waiver wire: 5 players the Giants should consider
- Practice squad rules 2026, explained
- Giants practice squad tracker 2026: Predictions, signings, analysis
- Watch the NFC East Mixtape podcast!
This week’s opponent
- Cowboys finalize trade for Steelers OT Broderick Jones | DallasCowboys.com
- Dallas Cowboys release QB Joe Milton | Blogging the Boys
- RB Emari Demercado heads to Cowboys as a waiver claim | Pro Football Talk
- Cowboys 53-man roster takeaways: Camden Brown in, Jaydon Blue out | The Athletic
BBV mailbag
Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to bigblueview@gmail.com and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.
BBV on social media
BBV on X: @BigBlueView
Ed Valentine on X: @Valentine_Ed
Threads: @ed.valentine | Bluesky: @edvalentine
BBV on Facebook: Click here to like the Big Blue View Facebook page
BBV on YouTube: Subscribe to the Big Blue View YouTube channel | Ed Valentine on YouTube (videos and interviews are now being posted here)
BBV on Instagram: Click here to follow our Instagram page
