The New York Giants are staring down the barrel of an offseason that will define the next half-decade of football in East Rutherford, and for once, it isn’t just about who they are bringing in—it’s about who they can afford to keep.
Obviously, finding a new head coach and, potentially, a general manager will be the most important decision.
With seven significant contributors set to hit the open market, Joe Schoen (or his replacement) faces a distinct challenge: identifying which players are foundational pillars and which are simply replaceable parts of a losing machine.
The reality is that while the team has about $17.3 million in immediate cap space, the real financial firepower lies in 2027, meaning the front office will need to get creative with backloaded deals to keep this core intact.
Fan sentiment has shifted from frustration to a sort of calculated anxiety; we know the roster has holes, but creating new ones by letting homegrown talent walk feels like a step backward. The upcoming decisions on Wan’Dale Robinson and Jermaine Eluemunor aren’t just financial transactions; they are referendums on the team’s ability to identify and reward success.
As the front office evaluates its own future, the checkbook is about to get a serious workout, and the numbers might make some old-school fans uncomfortable.
Wan’Dale Robinson: The $20 Million Safety Net
If there is one player who has earned the right to demand a blank check, it is Wan’Dale Robinson. Stepping into the void left by Malik Nabers’ ACL tear, Robinson hasn’t just been a stopgap; he has been the entire engine of the passing attack, currently on pace to crack 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. In a league where receiver contracts are exploding, Robinson has played his way out of the “$15 million bargain” tier and squarely into the $20 million per season conversation.
The Giants simply cannot afford to let their most consistent weapon walk, especially with a young quarterback room that needs reliable targets to thrive. Robinson has proven he can be a volume hog and a chain mover, transforming from a gadget player into a legitimate primary option when called upon. Paying a slot receiver elite money is always risky, but Robinson is the rare security blanket that actually generates explosive plays.
However, there are several big-time receivers in the draft, and the Giants will be picking top 5 again, most likely. Overpassing at the slot receiver position might not be a great move, especially since other spots really need more support.
The Trenches and the Secondary: Paying for Stability
On the offensive line, Jermaine Eluemunor has quietly been the most stable force the Giants have had at right tackle in years, and letting him leave would be malpractice. Despite turning 31 next season, he has outplayed his two-year, $14 million deal by a mile and is likely looking at a three-year extension in the $48 million range. Structuring a deal with an “out” after the second season makes sense for both sides, securing the line for 2026 while protecting the team against age-related regression.
Defensively, Cor’Dale Flott has finally started to look like the player the Giants drafted in the third round, shaking off a slow start to his career to establish himself as a viable CB2. He is young, ascending, and plays a premium position where competency is expensive; locking him up now before he fully breaks out could be a savvy move.
Meanwhile, Micah McFadden offers a cheaper extension candidate at linebacker, an energy guy who should bounce back to his usual self in 2026.
tough Goodbyes and Smart Good-Buys
The rest of the free-agent class presents a mix of easy decisions and calculated risks. Bringing back 37-year-old Greg Van Roten feels like a no-brainer for offensive line depth; you can never have enough insurance in the trenches, and he likely won’t command more than a veteran minimum-plus type deal. Dane Belton also deserves to stay for his special teams value and safety depth, the kind of low-cost, high-utility player that winning rosters are built on.
However, the writing appears to be on the wall for Daniel Bellinger. While he is an elite blocker and an underrated receiver, the modern NFL demands dynamic playmaking from the tight end position, and Bellinger’s ceiling feels capped. With limited resources and bigger fish to fry, he is the most likely candidate to be squeezed out, a solid player who will likely find a role elsewhere while the Giants look for more explosive options.
Looking Ahead: The 2027 Goldmine Strategy
The key to this entire offseason lies in the Giants’ massive $113 million projected cap space for 2027. We should expect every major extension—whether for Robinson, Eluemunor, or Flott—to carry a low cap hit in 2026 before ballooning when the books open up the following year. It is a dangerous game if you miss on the talent, but for a team desperate to compete now without mortgaging the future, it is the only play they have.
Ultimately, the Giants are about to find out how expensive “competency” actually is. Retaining Robinson and Eluemunor will eat up a significant chunk of change, but it sends a message to the locker room that performance is rewarded. The time for bargain hunting is over; if the Giants want to be taken seriously, they need to pay their own playmakers and prove that the days of letting talent walk out the door are finished.