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The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is a wrap, no offense intended to the offensive linemen who still have to bench press on Monday before leaving Indianapolis. Here are some thoughts on many of the things that have been written and said about the New York Giants over the next week.
You’ll be shocked, but you shouldn’t be
ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan said on the ‘Giants Nation Show’ with Bobby Skinner recently that people will be “shocked” by some of the moves the team makes this offseason. Moves, incidentally, that could begin as early as Monday.
The NFL free agency negotiating window begins on March 9, a week from Monday, with the signing period opening on March 11. The Giants have just $2.7 million in cap space per Over the Cap, and are $7.3 million in the red in effective cap space. That is the amount of cap space a team has included money it will use to sign its rookie class.
GM Joe Schoen said last week the Giants wanted to wait until they got the lay of the free agency land in Indianapolis before starting to make cap moves. Now that they have an idea, things will start to happen.
No one should be surprised by anything that comes down the pike in free agency or in the 2026 NFL Draft. Every time a new coach comes on board, unexpected moves get made as a team gets shaped in the image that coach wants.
With an 18-year track record of success, and the amount of power the Giants have obviously given him, Harbaugh will endorse doing what he believes necessary to shape the Giants into the physical, run-first, defensive-minded, power football team he was successful with as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Even though Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported last week that the Giants only intend to “tinker” that doesn’t mean there won’t be surprises in the coming weeks. Like the Giants’ reported interest in the running back market, a place they would not seriously be looking unless Harbaugh was pushing them to do so.
Harbaugh’s vision of what needs to be upgraded to make the Giants the best they can be in 2026 won’t match mine, yours, or Schoen’s.
So, just buckle up. We’re going to have a lot to talk about.
Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh for Tyler Linderbaum?
The Baltimore Ravens want to keep free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum, and GM Eric DeCosta said at the Combine that the organization had made Linderbaum a “market-setting offer.” Whatever that offer is, it still might not be enough to keep him.
The Giants are widely expected to be a suitor. The Los Angeles Chargers, who lost starting center Bradley Bozeman to retirement this offseason, might also be a suitor. Chargers GM Joe Hortiz was part of the Ravens’ front office when Baltimore drafted Linderbaum. Hortiz refused to discuss Linderbaum last week at the Combine, but you have to think Linderbaum is a player the Chargers will have interest in.
That might lead to a fascinating John Harbaugh vs. Jim Harbaugh recruiting battle for the talented center.
What might the price tag be?
Would the Giants be willing to go there? We’ll find out in a week.
Whither Wan’Dale?
The Giants entered Combine free agency discussions hoping they would end up with a chance to keep all three of their top free agents — right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
There seems to be an expectation that the wide receiver market is going to be costly, and that could mean Robinson finds a home elsewhere.
Robinson has back-to-back 90+ catch seasons, and topped 1,000 yards receiving last season. Robinson’s 2025 season was an outlier as he was the first 5-foot-8 or smaller wide receiver to reach 1,000 yards since 1989. That clearly tells us he is not likely to achieve that kind of production again.
Spending big money on Robinson has a chance to turn into a poor investment.
It would seem logical that the Tennessee Titans, where ex-Giants head coach Brian Daboll is running the offense, would be a suitor for Robinson. There is also a report that the Cleveland Browns have Robinson on their radar.
Bye, bye, Belly?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that free agent tight end Daniel Bellinger could find a bigger opportunity elsewhere this offseason.
With that in mind, I found it interesting last week that Harbaugh mentioned Bellinger as a player who might be able to play in the slot a little bit.
Does that mean the 2022 fourth-round pick, a player I have often said has been under-utilized the past three seasons, could be part of the team’s plans in 2026.
Don’t get your hopes up.
I asked a source what the chances were that Bellinger returned to the Giants for the upcoming season. I got a one-word answer:
“ZERO.”
This is a fantastic thread
I don’t have much to add other than the recommendation that you read this thread from Lindsey Rhodes of SumerSports. There is a ton of thought-provoking stuff in here:
‘A very interesting call’ at No. 5
Ian O’Connor of The Athletic summed up the decision the Giants face with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft this way:
In my view, before free agency begins the Giants can justify doing several things.
They could take wide receiver Carnell Tate. They could take safety Caleb Downs. They could take cornerback Mansoor Delane. They could take linebacker Sonny Styles. They could take whichever of the right tackles they prefer, Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano. They could even justify selecting running back Jeremiyah Love. Also, they could trade down to do any of the above.
As of today, I think Styles or Downs is the most likely pick. Harbaugh’s teams have always featured great players at those positions.
A week from now we might have a clearer picture.