Forget everything you know about the New York Giants' offense. What they've done in the past won't help you when trying to figure them out this season.
First, a new coaching staff is in place: Head coach John Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Brian Callahan, and special assistant Greg Roman, the run game coordinator.
Second, several new faces are at key spots, and some skill players are returning from injuries. A few questions remain.
This spring, Harbaugh shared his blueprint on the desired offensive build.
"I want a high-powered offense. I want an offense that scores a lot of points, protects the football, is with all three phases, you know? So what does that mean? Well, it means you build around
the players that you have, for sure," he told reporters. "And so it starts with building a system that is going to be—it's going to be elegant and enough to handle all the complicated things that go with attacking defenses nowadays, but simple enough for the players who can operate it, you know, in action, in battle, in the heat of battle, just like that, in a real effective way. And it's going to be built around what the guys do well. So the good thing about—one of the—one of the many great things about Jaxson Dart is he does so many things so well.
"I mean, he can live in a lot of different worlds. And if you've watched the offenses that we've had over the last many number of years, it's built around a lot of different elements. And there's a lot of different elements that Jackson can play in. You know, we talked power run, drop-back pass, quarterback-driven stuff, RPOs, quick—quick ball out type of completions. He can throw the ball downfield. He can throw it off a play action. I'm not sure what he really can't do. You know?
"So we're going to try to live in those different worlds and see how it fits all the other guys on the offense."
Here's a quick overview of what the Giants' 2026 offense could look like.
Run or pass?
Harbaugh has said he wants to be a running team first, but the mixture of philosophies has experts perplexed.
On one side, you have Harbaugh, whose Baltimore Ravens were the only team in the NFL last year to run the ball more than pass it. On the other side, you have Nagy, who ran an offense led by Patrick Mahomes, and Callahan, who once ran the Cincinnati Bengals' offense that went to a Super Bowl with Joe Burrow.
Then, there's Roman. He had a reputation for pounding the rock until he didn't. Most recently, he was the OC with the Los Angeles Chargers, who have Justin Herbert under center. Last season, they threw the ball on nearly 58 percent of their offensive snaps.
They didn't reveal much in the preseason other than they want to do five minutes of everything and keep opponents -- and Giants fans -- guessing.
Quarterback
Jaxson Dart's superpower is his unpredictability and his penchant for making plays out of the pocket. But the staff sees that style as too risky for his long-term health. They've been keeping him in the pocket more and forcing him to stick with the plays being called.
Unfortunately, Dart has shown thus far that he's not a great pocket passer. They are working on that. In the end, the result will likely be somewhere in the middle. Dart will be trained to take fewer chances while his mobility and field presence allow him to make those improvisation plays when they present themselves.
Running back
The Giants have a talented room here, and they plan on leaning on it. They have gone back to using a fullback, and who better to fill the role than Pro Bowler Patrick Ricard? He should help both open holes for the running game and serve as a de facto offensive lineman.
Cam Skattebo is coming off a serious ankle injury, and anyone who is predicting he will get his normal workload, especially early on, is fooling themselves. The Giants see Skattebo's style as one that will not last very long in the NFL. They will use him strategically.
That is why they signed Najee Harris. If Harris can bang the ball with any success between the tackles, he'll be the guy that gets the call on early downs. Tyrone Tracy Jr, despite his mistakes in the preseason, is still very much in the plans. He is the most dynamic player of the group and will also be used in spots where he can succeed.
Devin Singletary will do what he always does -- provide depth and a shot in the arm two or three times per game.
Tight end
The Giants' first move in free agency was to ink Isaiah Likely to a three-year, $40 million deal. They didn't sign him to be a cheerleader. They see him as an ascending player who can carry their passing game just like Travis Kelce did for Nagy in Kansas City. It is not unfathomable to think Likely can have Pro Bowl numbers this year. He and Dart have already formed a cohesive bond.
Theo Johnson is dealing with a shoulder issue right now, but he will also see targets. Chris Manhertz is a solid blocker, and they felt that Thomas Fidone II was too valuable to cut or expose to waivers.
The bottom line: Likely will be used almost exclusively in space, like a slot receiver.
Wide receiver
The fans are freaked out over this group, which consists of only five players, and they all have questions. Malik Nabers' availability for the season opener is still unknown. Darnell Mooney is new to the team, and few know what he brings to the table. Odell Beckham Jr. is 33. Malachi Fields is a rookie, and Darius Slayton is still a Giant because his contract made him untradeable.
Nabers had been a target magnet under the previous coaching staff, but that will most certainly change. His health and the fact that he and Dart have very little history and chemistry create a lot of uncertainty. Calvin Austin III's injury really took a chunk of versatility out of this group.
The Giants plan on adding Braxton Berrios to the active roster before the opener, but he's basically going to be used on special teams as a returner.
The Giants will probably not lean on this unit as much as people think. They will primarily throw the tight ends and backs as much as they do the wideouts.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants have yet to establish an offensive identity under John Harbaugh
