Nearly half of the New York Giants' 90-man training camp roster is new to the team. Head coach John Harbaugh came in and massively overhauled the supplementary pieces on the squad, creating a new-look team still headlined by last year's stars.
Some of those additions, despite going relatively unnoticed, could have a major impact on the outcome of Big Blue's 2026 season.
According to Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and defensive tackle DJ Reader are under-the-radar players capable of shaping the upcoming season.
DJ Reader, Darnell Mooney could shape Giants' 2026 season
Reader will likely be the more impactful of the two veteran additions. He is set to be the Giants' starting nose tackle, replacing Dexter Lawrence II in the middle of the defense. A stout run-stuffer, the 32-year-old is part of New York's attempt to fix its league-worst run defense in EPA per rush allowed last year.
Pereles ranked Reader 30th in his list of under-the-radar players, putting him in his "Known face, new place" category. He said, "For all the excitement surrounding Year 1 of John Harbaugh, Year 2 of Jaxson Dart and two first-round picks, the Giants still need to figure out a way to stop getting run all over."
Reader isn't a one-for-one Lawrence Replacement. Nobody is. But the veteran can provide a boost to the Giants' run defense. Per PFF, he logged over 20 run stops in three consecutive seasons before taking a slight step back with the Detroit Lions in the last two years. He's the most important player on New York's depleted interior defensive line.
Mooney ranked much higher on the list, landing at tenth, in the "Bounce-back candidates" category. Pereles said, "The Giants would love to see him get back to his 2024 form, when he showed a well-rounded skill set that hadn't been on display earlier in his career."
The G-Men are set to enter training camp with a crowded wide receiver room, making individual roles impossible to parse. But Mooney's experience with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and his flexibility to play in the slot or out wide give him a leg up in the camp competition. If Malik Nabers isn't ready to go at the start of the season, the 28-year-old could find himself with a significant target share.
All eyes will be on stars like Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter entering the season, but without players like Reader and Mooney, the G-Men won't be able to reach their 2026 goals.
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