At one point last season, the New York Giants had an aura. Yes, Gen Alpha has driven the word “aura” into the ground, but that doesn’t make it any less accurate when describing the Giants in Week 6 of 2025. Behind 2025 rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart and rookie fourth-round running back Cam Skattebo, the Giants pounded the then-defending champion Philadelphia Eagles 34-17, and hope was restored amongst Giants fans.
If New York’s young core could look that good without wide receiver Malik Nabers, the Giants’ 2024 No. 6 overall pick, who had torn his ACL in Week 4, could the Giants be closer to contention than previously believed?
Well, Skattebo suffered a season-ending dislocated ankle on Oct. 26. Dart struggled to stay healthy the rest of the year. The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10. After upsetting Philly, New York only won two more games the rest of the season — in Weeks 17 and 18 — and finished 4-13.
Still, newly hired head coach John Harbaugh seems to be approaching this offseason like the Giants are close to contender status.
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the Giants are among five potential landing spots for Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans if he doesn’t reach an extension in Tampa Bay.
Jones explained, as read below:
“If John Harbaugh wants to make a splash move in his first year on the job, then bringing in Evans could certainly make some sense. Wan’Dale Robinson led the team in receiving yards last season, but he’s set to hit free agency. The Giants get Malik Nabers back on the field after he missed 13 games due to an ACL injury, but the team needs someone to complement him.
On paper, the Giants don’t have the build of a Super Bowl contender that Evans might seek, but this is a team that lost seven games by one score last season. With a new coach and veteran leadership that a player like Evans might offer, the Giants might be able to quickly turn things around, just like the Patriots did in 2025. New England went 4-13 in 2024 before bouncing back with a Super Bowl season in 2025. The Giants went 4-13 in 2025 and the addition of Evans could help them improve upon that number in 2026.”
To Jones’ point, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that Evans “will limit his choices to a handful of teams in part because of his criteria. He wants a quarterback he believes in, a chance at a Super Bowl, a top-shelf offensive coordinator, and the promise of high-volume touches.”
So, the Giants’ viability for Evans will likely come down to how much he believes in Dart and newly hired offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, plus how much he cares that Nabers will eat into his touches. For what it’s worth, Evans has remained dominant while sharing the load with Chris Godwin Jr. in Tampa since 2017.
SNY’s Connor Hughes reported earlier this week that the Giants are “heavily invested in the running back market” because Harbaugh wants the run game to be the central piece of the offensive identity. If Harbaugh’s 18 seasons as Baltimore Ravens head coach serve as a forecaster, he’s more likely to invest in running backs than wide receivers.
The Buccaneers took Evans at No. 7 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. The 32-year-old has been incredibly reliable in his 12-season career. In 2024, Evans joined Jerry Rice as the only receiver in NFL history with 11-straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. His 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career are the most ever in the NFL, however.
Evans’ streak came to an end in 2025 because he broke his clavicle in Week 7. The six-time Pro Bowler didn’t return until Week 15. He finished with just 30 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns in eight games for the 8-9 Bucs.
Should Evans become an unrestricted free agent, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell projects he’ll garner between $12 million and $21 million per year. Teams can start negotiations with impending free agents on March 9, before the new league year and free agency officially open on March 11 at 4 p.m. EST.
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