248 days later, the New York Giants finally have another regular-season football game to prepare for. No more OTAs. No more training camp highlights. No more pretending a preseason game means anything. We are unofficially, officially so back.
Before head coach John Harbaugh makes his Giants debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, Big Blue gave us one last thing to overanalyze: its first unofficial depth chart of the 2026 season. Anyone else tearing up?
Emphasis on unofficial. Harbs isn’t legally obligated to follow any of this on Sunday night, and things can obviously change before kickoff. Still, after an entire offseason of waiting for this exact moment, there are a few things worth talking about before Carrie Underwood hits us with "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night."
5 things that stand out from Giants’ first Week 1 depth chart
5. Deonte Banks gets one last shot to prove he's worthy of starting
Three-plus years ago, Deonte Banks was just a rookie whom the Giants traded up one spot to get on April 27, 2023. The thought was that they’d brought in a lockdown corner for the foreseeable future, but reality has a fun way of throwing a wrench into things.
Banks has struggled mightily since a semi-promising rookie season, and the Giants' decision to decline his fifth-year option earlier this offseason made his future in North Jersey murkier than ever. Well, you know what they say about second -- err, fourth chances.
The former Maryland star is listed as the team's CB2 opposite Greg Newsome II, beating out Paulson Adebo and his three-year, $54 million contract. If Banks wants another contract from the G-Men (or anyone) after this season, here’s his chance to earn one.
4. Darnell Mooney has at least one week to hold off Beckham/Fields mania
When the unofficial Week 1 depth chart dropped, it was relatively surprising that New York was only carrying four wide receivers. What was even more surprising was Darnell Mooney operating as Malik Nabers’ sidekick.
Mooney clearly did enough this summer to hold off rookie Malachi Fields and homecoming king Odell Beckham Jr. for the WR2 spot. But for how long? We’ll see.
Fields was arguably New York's biggest offseason darling, and OBJ being back is probably the coolest thing that could possibly happen. Regardless, Mooney gets first dibs against Dallas. He'd better make the most of it.
3. Darius Alexander is in the doghouse
Who let the dogs out? Apparently, not John Harbaugh. Darius Alexander had a golden opportunity staring him directly in the face this offseason.
With last year’s starting defensive line completely overhauled, the second-year defender looked primed to grab the spot alongside newcomers DJ Reader and Shelby Harris. Chauncey Golston apparently had a different idea.
Golston is listed as the third starter, leaving Alexander on the outside looking in entering Week 1. This isn’t exactly where many expected a potential Darius Alexander breakout to begin.
2. The Tyrone Tracy Jr. overreaction was (obviously) nonsense
Tyrone Tracy Jr. got put through the wringer after missing a block against the Vikings in preseason Game 1 and fumbling a handoff against the Dolphins in Game 2. He deserves never to play in a Giants uniform again, right? Wrong.
The idea that two preseason mistakes suddenly put Tracy’s roster spot in legitimate jeopardy was ridiculous then, and seeing him slotted in as RB2 behind Cam Skattebo makes it look even sillier now.
After consecutive 1,000-plus scrimmage-yard seasons to begin his career, TTJ isn’t going anywhere.
1. Braxton Berrios' role is still coming into focus... apparently
Braxton Berrios is on the practice squad... or is he?
The Giants released Berrios during roster cuts and brought him back on the P-Squad. As of Wednesday morning, he hasn’t been elevated to the active roster. Yet there he is on New York’s unofficial depth chart, listed as the second punt returner behind Jevón Holland and fourth kick returner behind Banks, Devin Singletary, and TTJ.
So that’s normal.
Berrios was always expected to factor into the third phase once it was regular-season time, so seeing his name make the chart isn’t exactly surprising. Seeing a practice-squad player on the Week 1 depth chart before he’s actually been elevated is where things get a little weird for me.
Maybe Harbs already knows something we don’t. Either way, we’ll find out soon enough.
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