The 2026 offseason is shaping up to be less of a strategic retooling and more of a controlled demolition for the New York Giants.
Whether Joe Schoen is still the man pressing the buttons or a new general manager is brought in to clean up the mess, the reality is the same: this roster is bloated, expensive in the wrong places, and desperately needs a minor reset. The franchise is staring at a paltry $17.3 million in effective cap space, a number that sounds like pocket change when you consider the laundry list of key free agents waiting to be paid.
The severity of this purge depends entirely on who is sitting in the big chair. If Schoen stays, he might try to massage the numbers to keep his “guys” around. But if John Mara finally pulls the plug and brings in a new regime, expect a ruthless assessment of every contract on the books. A new GM has no loyalty to the previous administration’s mistakes, which puts veterans like Bobby Okereke and Devin Singletary squarely in the crosshairs.
Trimming the Fat: Where the Savings Come From
If the Giants want to keep their ascending young talent, they have to sacrifice some veterans. The most obvious, albeit painful, move involves cutting linebacker Bobby Okereke. While he has been a steady presence, releasing him would free up $9 million in instant cap space. It’s an “unadvised” move in a vacuum given his leadership, but when you are counting pennies to pay your best receiver, difficult choices become necessary.
The rest of the chopping block is easier to justify. Cutting running back Devin Singletary saves $5.25 million, a no-brainer for a position where production is easily replaceable. Releasing swing tackle James Hudson clears another $5.5 million, and moving on from veteran kicker Graham Gano adds a nice $4.5 million to the pot. Suddenly, that $17.3 million in space balloons to nearly $42 million, giving the front office the ammunition it needs to operate.
The 2027 Goldmine Strategy
The panic over the 2026 cap number ignores the massive windfall waiting just over the horizon. The Giants are projected to have a staggering $112.8 million in cap space for the 2027 season, which is the ultimate “get out of jail free” card. This financial structure allows the team to sign priority free agents like Wan’Dale Robinson and Jermaine Eluemunor to backloaded extensions, keeping their 2026 cap hits minimal while pushing the bulk of the money into years where the team is flush with cash.
This strategy is the only way to retain a core that includes Robinson, Eluemunor, and promising young corner Cor’Dale Flott without decimating the rest of the roster. It requires some accounting gymnastics, but with Jaxson Dart on a rookie contract, the Giants have the unique flexibility to push chips into the future. They aren’t paying a quarterback $50 million a year, which is the single biggest competitive advantage in the sport—if they use it correctly.
Looking Ahead: A Perfect Storm for a Reset
The combination of a rookie quarterback, a treasure trove of future cap space, and a distinct set of cuttable veterans creates the perfect environment for a rapid turnaround. This isn’t a five-year rebuild; it is a one-offseason correction. The Giants have the draft capital and the financial roadmap to put a competitive team on the field immediately, but it requires a level of decisiveness we haven’t seen in years.
Ultimately, this offseason will likely serve as the launching pad for an entirely new era of Giants football, potentially featuring a new coaching staff and front office. The resources are there to build a winner around Jaxson Dart; the only question is whether the current leadership will be around to spend them, or if they’ll be watching the renovation from the couch.
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