3 long-term Giants players who will find it tough to make 2026 roster

There is a buzz surrounding the New York Giants since John Harbaugh was hired as the team's new head coach. When the 2025 season ended, it should have been no surprise that the Giants' job was considered perhaps the most attractive vacancy in the league. 

The team has an exciting nucleus of young offensive players led by Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. It also has an above-average defense just waiting to break out. But make no mistake, Harbaugh is going to make some big changes with this roster. 

The Giants have missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, posting an atrocious 13-38 record in that time span. It would make sense for Harbaugh to want to get away from many of the players who have been a part of that, making it difficult for some of these guys to be a part of the team's future. 

Giants veterans who may not make 2026 roster

Jalin Hyatt, WR

After signing both Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III in free agency, former third-round pick Jalin Hyatt's days in New York appear to be numbered. When adding those two players to a group that already includes Nabers and Darius Slayton, it's obvious that the team has no room for a massive underachiever like Hyatt. 

In three seasons, Hyatt has caught a grand total of 36 passes, including only five last year. He has yet to find the end zone in his career. 

Eric Gray, RB

Selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Eric Gray played in 30 games in his first two seasons in the league. Last season, he suited up for just four games and saw a total of three snaps on offense. That is the definition of being phased out of the offensive game plan. 

There is no indication he'll hold any different role in Harbaugh's system and the team may choose to just cut the dead weight unless he has a tremendous performance in training camp. 

Graham Gano, K

Graham Gano could be released by the Giants at any time now, following the signing of free-agent kicker Jason Sanders. It doesn't seem like the team will have an open competition between these two and will just hand the job to Sanders now. 

Gano has spent the past six seasons in New York, but injuries limited him to just five games last season and forced the Giants to go through a comical carousel of kickers. Gano has made 87.4 percent of his field-goal attempts for the Giants, but it appears that his time is up. 

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