The New York Giants couldn't have improved more going from Brian Daboll (and Mike Kafka) to John Harbaugh. That's like going from Batman vs Superman to James Gunn's Superman. For the first time in what feels like forever, the arrow is pointing up regarding the Giants' outlook in 2026 and beyond.
They may have won just four games in 2026, but the roster has a bright future. Despite trading Dexter Lawrence, this New York roster has a nice young nucleus. Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter should take Year 2 leaps, Malik Nabers is nearing a return, and Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa have all the makings of long-term franchise cornerstones.
And they're finally getting that recognition. While detailing post-draft expectations for all 10 NFL teams that brought in new head coaches, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox had a generous assessment for the Giants, stating a 9-8 season is a realistic finish for the Harbaugh-led G-Men.
"When the Ravens fired John Harbaugh, he immediately became the head-coaching prize of the 2026 NFL offseason," Knox wrote. "The New York Giants won the Harbaugh sweepstakes, pairing a Super Bowl-winning head coach with a roster that showed promise in 2025."
The Giants could break their playoff drought with John Harbaugh coaching them in 2026
Big Blue has been looked at as a team whose outlook in Year 1 of the Harbaugh era is all over the place, but it shouldn't be. They blew several games in the fourth quarter last season, so all Harbs needs to do is be better than Daboll, and since they have reinforced the locker room culture from the Tom Coughlin days under their new coach, playing hard and physical should be no problem.
Knox noted that the Super Bowl-winning head coach has taken over a roster that has made considerable improvements this offseason. D.J. Reader. Isaiah Likely. Darnell Mooney. Tremaine Edmunds. By signing veterans like that, the new-look Giants got better all across the board.
Despite those moves, see them as a six or seven-win team. Others see them as more of a playoff team, but it's clear that they are right to be a popular pick to improve in 2026. But in a difficult division, they're going to have to fend off the Eagles, Cowboys, and potentially the Commanders to clinch a playoff berth. 9-8 won't win the NFC East. But it could be enough to make the playoffs.
"The Philadelphia Eagles have won back-to-back division titles, while the Dallas Cowboys dramatically improved a defense that kept them out of the postseason race in 2025. Even with Harbaugh running the show, New York may be a long shot for a division title. However, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Giants earn a wild-card berth."
Compared to the Giants' football we have seen across the last couple of seasons, a 9-8 season would be a dream come true. And between a bold free agency and a strong draft class, a playoff appearance would be the first building block of the long-term foundation John Harbaugh is building.
The bar is undergound, and Harbaugh would smash that bar if his team's season extends into mid-January.
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