New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen isn't known for being measured. His offseason aggression has led to colossal whiffs more often than it has produced value. But Big Blue's current roster holds a few bargains.
Head coach John Harbaugh's arrival could help make Schoen look like a genius.
These five Giants players, excluding players on rookie or one-year deals, are primed to make their contracts look like bargains this season.
5 New York Giants set to outplay their contracts in 2026
DT DJ Reader
After ten seasons in the NFL, Reader has entered the "mercenary" phase of his career. The 32-year-old nose tackle joined the Giants on a two-year, $12.5 million deal this offseason. He's part of the plan to replace Dexter Lawrence II on the interior and will provide a boost in run defense for what was a porous front in 2025.
Reader may not fill the stat sheet, but he'll raise the tide enough to look like a solid investment.
FB Patrick Ricard
It's hard to argue that the richest fullback in football is a bargain, but we're doing it anyway. After following Harbaugh over from the Baltimore Ravens, Ricard will be a focal point of New York's remodeled rushing attack. Making just $3.8 million per year, he's relatively cheap.
The Ravens ran 12 personnel (two backs, one tight end) at the third-highest rate in the NFL last season and finished with the second-most total EPA in those looks. If the Giants use a fullback at a similar rate, Ricard will have a massive impact.
G Jon Runyan
Runyan is entering the final season of his three-year, $30 million contract. So far, he's been nothing more than average. But with improved surroundings, he could finally prove himself to be a worthy investment. Help push the Giants' offensive line into the NFL's top ten, and he'll earn a raise next offseason.
OT Jermaine Eluemunor
Sticking with the offensive line, Eluemunor might offer the best value on the roster. The veteran was one of the most efficient offensive tackles in the NFL in a contract year last season, but the Giants were still able to bring him back for $13 million per year.
Playing next to top-ten pick Francis Mauigoa, Eluemunor is an easy bet to outperform his contract.
TE Isaiah Likely
Likely requires more projection than many of the players on New York's roster. The tight end is stepping into a full-time starting role for the first time in his career. He's currently the fifth-highest-paid tight end in football, though upcoming deals for Tucker Kraft and Sam LaPorta will bump him down the rankings.
If Likely becomes the No. 2 pass catcher in Matt Nagy's offense, $13.3 million per year will look like a steal.
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