I'd like to start this article with a straightforward admission: Taylor Swift's fiancé -- you might know him as Travis Kelce -- did not make the list. While the New York Giants could use some help in the tight end room, I didn't have it in me to even force the thought.
So I'm moving on.
Big Blue’s new head coach shocked the NFL world quite a bit when reports came out on Tuesday that John Harbaugh had hired former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for the same job in New York. After being left reeling from the Davis Webb snub, Giants fans felt even more blindsided by the Nagy news, since it seemingly came out of nowhere.
Related: Giants fans should feel alarmed after instant Matt Nagy damage control
But in Harbaugh we trust. So, if this is part of his vision, we'll just have to see it through and believe it's what's best for the team. And with the 47-year-old now in charge of running the offense, here are a couple of players he used to coach who could make their way to North Jersey to ease his transition.
5 former players who could follow Matt Nagy to Giants this offseason
David Montgomery, RB (Bears 2019-21)
Montgomery and Nagy go back to their Chicago days together. The pair didn't exactly light it up, but the 28-year-old enjoyed a decent amount of success after being drafted in the third round in 2019 out of Iowa State.
Montgomery would enter a pretty full running back room led by Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. However, the former Bear's size would give Nagy and Co. a physical downhill running back who could be utilized in redzone situations, much like he's been doing with the Lions the past three years. The G-Men tend to collapse in short-yardage situations, so this could be a sneaky good pickup.
Darnell Mooney, WR (Bears 2020-21)
The Falcons will need to cut Mooney for this to happen. Luckily, he's one of the likeliest cap casualties of the offseason. The 28-year-old has yet to come close to matching his 2021 season (81 catches, 1,055 yards, 4 touchdowns), but the Giants don't need him to be WR1 or WR2. Those roles belong to Malik Nabers and whoever they bring in via free agency or the draft, respectively.
The 2020 fifth-rounder has his flaws, but he could be exactly what the doctor ordered as a third option. He's not going to wow anyone with his size (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), but he's got 4.3 40-speed and would be an instant upgrade to the receiver room.
Mike Caliendo, OL (Chiefs 2023-25)
Not to be confused with stand-up comedian and impersonator Frank Caliendo, Mike Caliendo is a 28-year-old guard who has spent his entire four-year career with the Chiefs. He went undrafted out of Western Michigan in 2022, and he's been a solid backup ever since.
Caliendo won't come to East Rutherford to compete for a starting spot, but a reliable depth piece and spot-starter never hurt anyone. Big Blue could lose starting guards Greg Van Roten and Jon Runyan Jr. this offseason, making the need for some reinforcements more important than ever.
Robert Tonyan, TE (Chiefs 2025)
Not the Travis Kelce splash at tight end, but a tight end nonetheless. Tonyan is a 31-year-old, eight-year veteran who's already played for four teams over the course of his career. Still, with Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz set to hit free agency, the TE room behind Theo Johnson could get very thin very quickly.
Tonyan isn't going to light up the boxscore, but he's a serviceable guy who'd be a good locker room addition. At this point in his career, he's a more reliable special teamer, blocker, and depth piece than anything else, but Nagy should jump at the opportunity to add him on the cheap this offseason.
Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown, WR (Chiefs 2024-25)
This is a fun one because not only is Brown familiar with Nagy, but he began his career under Harbaugh in Baltimore after they selected him in the first round in 2019.
The similarities between Hollywood and Mooney are striking. Brown also doesn't pack much size (5-foot-9, 180 pounds), and what he lacks in size, he makes up for with shiftiness and speed (4.27 40-time). However, unlike the Falcons wideout, the former Chiefs receiver is already a free agent, making him a much easier pickup.
Brown didn't exactly light the world on fire in his two seasons working under Nagy, but again, we're not looking for a Nabers replacement. We're looking for complementary pieces off the bench.