For all intents and purposes, John Harbaugh is the New York Giants head coach starting in 2026. At the time of writing this, it's been reported that the numbers have been agreed upon, and all that's left is cleaning up some language, dotting some I's, and crossing some T's.
Still, nothing is guaranteed until pen meets paper, so we should all say a quick prayer to the Football Gods.
Assuming the Harbaugh deal closes, it will mark the biggest move this franchise has made since Tom Coughlin stepped down. Finally, at long last, the Giants have an adult in the room again. This guy won over a locker room with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs in it, so doing that with this Giants team shouldn't be too big a problem.
Roster construction and personnel have to be a big part of finalizing this deal, and Harbaugh probably wants a massive role in both, which is deserved and needed given how this franchise has looked over the past decade. His first opportunity to help right the ship will come in April with the draft.
The Giants' coach changed, but their roster needs haven't
Just because there will be a new man in charge doesn't mean the holes this roster needs filled have changed. There still needs to be another weapon for quarterback Jaxson Dart, especially with Malik Nabers coming off an injury, and Darius Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson's roster spots aren't set in stone.
This team is also desperate for linebacker help and in the secondary. This was the case before the reported Harbaugh hiring, and it remains so. Now, Harbaugh should absolutely have a say in who they get and who can best complement the coordinators he hires, but his hiring shouldn't completely dictate their strategy.
The order in which they draft could go a million different ways depending on who Harbaugh likes and what he prioritizes as a coach. As long as the questions of wide receiver, linebacker, and cornerback are met in April's draft, there won't be an unhappy Giant fan out there.
It already feels like a breath of fresh air for this franchise, knowing their top guy is on the one-yard line with the contract and, most importantly, wanted to be here. Harbaugh can get this new era started and start on the right foot in just a matter of months.