Another losing season is over for the New York Giants.
They finished the season 4-13, winning the last two games, and made significant in-season changes, firing head coach Brian Daboll and starting rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
There were bright spots on the team, such as the offensive line and edge rushers, but there were also poor position groups, including the linebackers and safeties.
Quarterback: B-
The first-year star Jaxson Dart exceeded fans’ expectations, finishing the season with 24 total touchdowns, third among quarterbacks in rushing yards, and showing exceptional pocket movement.
Although Dart had a good rookie season, he was not the only starter; veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston combined to start five games and did not play up to par. The two vets were 0-5 and limited the offense in the red zone and overall rushing, especially Wilson.
It wasn’t a perfect rookie campaign, but Dart has established himself as the starter for the foreseeable future.
Running Back: B+
Fellow rookie star Cam Skattebo started the season on fire, compiling over 600 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in five games started.
After Skattebo’s season-ending ankle injury, second-year back Tyrone Tracy Jr. stepped up. Tracy had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage again and led the Giants’ run game to a top-10 unit in the NFL. Both runners also possess good receiving abilities, making them a nice tandem for the 2026 season.
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It may not have been the flashiest group, but the Giants’ backs consistently produced throughout the season.
Receivers/Tight Ends: C-
After superstar Malik Nabers tore his ACL, there was a gaping hole that was never filled in his absence.
Wan’Dale Robinson was the only bright spot of the receiving group— eclipsing over 1,000 yards and 90 catches. Robinson was the safety blanket for New York this year, but also extended the field more than in years prior. He averaged a career-high 11 yards per reception this season, drastically greater than the 7.5 mark in 2024.
Robinson’s success is where the receiver praise ends for the Giants. Veteran Darius Slayton continued his drop issues and had his second-worst season in yards (538) and his worst in touchdowns (one).
The young players Theo Johnson and Jalin Hyatt also showed little to no growth this season. Hyatt was a healthy scratch throughout the season and finished with just 35 yards on the year. Johnson may not have had the disastrous season Hyatt had, but he continued to have drop issues and failed to stay on the same page as the quarterback.
The receiving core’s underwhelming play has left the Giants to look for a potential replacement in the draft.
Offensive Line: B+
The offensive line has been a weakness for New York for over a decade; this year, the line, anchored by Andrew Thomas, was more than competent. Thomas put together an All-Pro caliber season, allowing only one sack, two QB hits, and 13 pressures, per PFF.
Center John Michael Schmitz Jr. and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor also showed capable play throughout the season.
With the right side of the line hitting free agency, the line will need to be re-tooled in the offseason, but this year was a significant step in the right direction.
Defensive Line: B
The Giants’ defensive line was the most anticipated group of the season, and they didn’t disappoint. Brian Burns was second in the NFL in sacks, third in tackles for loss, and fourth in quarterback hits. Rookie Abdul Carter bloomed late in the season, but he was a force in December.
The edge rushers lived up to their expectations, but the interior wasn’t what the fans hoped for. All-Pro Dexter Lawrence was a shell of his 2024 self, finishing with only 0.5 sacks and 12 pressures. Lawrence still drew countless double teams this season, so his presence was felt, but without his stellar play, the defensive tackles struggled severely.
Linebackers: D+
The linebackers were a key reason for New York’s horrid run defense. Bobby Okereke has lost a step, making him a liability in coverage and someone who can get downhill in the run game.
Next to Okereke was supposed to be Micah McFadden, who many fans had breakout hopes for, but had a season-ending injury in Week 1. McFadden’s replacement for most of the season was Darius Muasau, who was a weakness for the team throughout.
Linebacker will be a significant priority for the Giants this offseason.
Safeties: D
With the signing of Jevon Holland and the exciting rookie season Tyler Nubin had, many fans presumed the safeties would be one of the better position groups on the team — instead, the opposite happened.
Nubin’s lack of athleticism stood out numerous times, failing to get the angle on runners. Holland battled with injuries this year, and when he played, he made little impact on the field.
Cornerbacks: C
The cornerbacks were a mixed bag this season. Sometimes it was Andru Phillips making plays downhill, with Cor’Dale Flott playing good coverage, and other weeks, it was that every corner would get picked on downfield.
Free agent signing Paulson Adebo missed five games this year and gave up a career-worst 66.7% completion percentage while being targeted.
The most disappointing outcome of this backfield is the awful play of Deonte Banks. The former first-round pick was a healthy scratch in games this season, and now is only viable as a kick returner.
With their age and inexperience, there is still potential left in the cornerback group, especially if they retain Flott in free agency.
Special Teams: C-
The special teams were a mess in most aspects, besides returning. The Giants had four kickers this season, with three of them having issues either with kicking or with injuries. Punter Jamie Gillan, who is the ninth-highest-paid punter in the NFL, was second-worst in punt yard average.
The only redeeming factor of the special teams was Deonte Banks’ quality returning.
New York will be searching for upgrades in the special teams unit.
In this losing season, there were multiple standout players, but it is clear the New York Giants still need much more talent to become a playoff team.
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