When newly minted New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh first ascended the steps to the stage of his ceremonious introduction as the team’s new leader in East Rutherford last month, he was met with several handshakes and wide-eyed faces from players who were excited to have him in the building.
At the same time, the feeling was completely reciprocal on the Super Bowl champion head coach’s end. Harbaugh didn’t just choose to endear himself to the small congregation of men he will soon usher into a new era of Giants football by uttering nice statements in his speech to win them over.
Instead, he wanted to make sure he emphasized in his address to the Giants contingent and fanbase listening outside of the facilities that he believed there was enticing talent in the room.
It might not have been taken full advantage of by the previous regime, but he would pull all stops to unleash it so that the team would finally get back to playing competitive football again.
One of the main limiting factors New York’s talent had to navigate was the ruthless injury bug; this past season’s strain curbed the availability and performance of a few key cogs who many thought would add to their memorable stat sheets from the 2024 campaign.
Two of those players are wide receiver Malik Nabers and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, both Giants stars coming off individual record-setting seasons for the franchise before getting bit by injuries and seeing their effectiveness take a sharp dive amid a disappointing 4-13 finish this fall.
Yet, in the eyes of some in the football world, like Gilbert Manzano of Sports Illustrated, one shouldn’t expect the two main faces to remain in the shadows once the 2026 season arrives.
Manzano, who curated his top 100 players list for next season, which also included outside linebacker Brian Burns in the top half at No. 48, ranked Lawrence at No. 71 and Nabers at No. 64 among the league’s brightest figures to watch out for.
“The way Lawrence rushes the passer at his size isn’t usual,” Manzano said about the Giants’ gap stuffer.
“The 342-pound interior lineman had 21 combined sacks from 2022 to ’24. He is, however, coming off a down season, recording only a half sack in ’25. But Lawrence offers more than pass rush. He’s a well-rounded defender who might benefit from the arrival of coach John Harbaugh.”
Of Nabers, the MMQB contributor added, “His electric rookie season was reminiscent of what Ja’Marr Chase has provided for the Bengals…If he makes a speedy recovery, Nabers could top his rookie numbers (109 catches, 1,204 yards, seven TDs) with quarterback Jaxson Dart, who didn’t become the starter until after the dynamic wide receiver was lost for the season.”
The Giants had just a short leash with Nabers, who looked like he was on a fast track to surpassing his impressive rookie numbers.
He posted an incredible nine catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, but then suffered his first major injury blow with a torn ACL in the first half of the team’s Week 4 home win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Lawrence really wasn’t injured, appearing in all 17 games for the Giants, but it was clear that he wasn’t his typical self as the centerpiece of the refueled defensive front.
It could have been his elbow injury late in the 2024 season affecting his game, which led to 12 fewer tackles, 9.5 fewer sacks, and 9 fewer stops against the run in that span.
Still, it was too little production for a critical member of the locker room and a player who is still largely viewed as one of the best defensive tackles in the entire sport.
The two guys’ shortcomings weren’t the only reason that the Giants struggled to win more than one extra game in 2025, though the expectations placed on their shoulders to lead the pack won’t go away once they both return to the gridiron in September in full health.
Can the Giants Get Malik Nabers and Dexter Lawrence Back to their True Forms in 2026?
Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) scrambles away from New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Despite John Harbaugh’s remarks about the cream of the crop in the Giants’ locker room, the organization will remain committed to adding more talent on both sides of the ball to fill its biggest gaps exposed on Sundays.
That said, the Giants will still rely heavily on their top guns, including Malik Nabers and Dexter Lawrence, to step up to the plate and make the game-defining plays that match the investment the franchise has put into both of their presences.
Nabers only played in three and a half contests before bowing out with the season-ending ACL tear, leaving it difficult to evaluate the things he needs to work on to come back better than he left in 2026, holding only 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns on his last stat line.
One thing that the Giants need to capitalize on when he returns is his unique talent to stretch the field, create separation, and make big plays downfield. Nabers is one of the rare players who can open any offense in the NFL and elevate the performance of his teammates.
However, when it came time to get him the football and let him go to work, the Giants struggled with Russell Wilson under center for the first few weeks. Nabers only hauled in three of his nine targets beyond 20+ yards, and two of those grabs came in his crazy outing in Dallas in Week 2.
The Giants want to become a more explosive offense next season, and they have the quarterback in Jaxson Dart to complete the perfect pairing.
So long as Dart grows more comfortable being a pocket passer and trusting his blockers, they should let it rip and allow Nabers to play like the vertical threat he can be when the ball is placed in the right spots.
As for Lawrence, the biggest factor in reviving his impact will be providing him with some quality help that can create added stress up the middle for an opposing offensive line.
Lawrence received the second-most double-team blocks among eligible defensive tackles this past season, and getting swallowed up at a 71% clip makes it difficult to be a constant force in the trenches that he was in the previous few seasons, where he tallied at least 36 pressures and 25 stops.
The Giants had hoped for better results from veteran Roy Robertson-Harris and their third-round pick, Darius Alexander, but both players finished with pressure win rates under 7.1% and shared in the team’s struggles to stop the run.
It will be imperative for the Giants, whether via free agency or the draft, to bolster the position group with an extra piece or two that can get after the backfield and attract attention away from Lawrence so he can get his chances at shutting down the enemy’s gameplan.
Accomplishing that will open up additional opportunities for Lawrence, who had a 63.3% double-team rate in 2024 and was more effective with a career-high in sacks.
The key to unleashing the best talent on the Giants’ roster next season will require them to build around it, not just over-reliance on them to be the difference that ultimately fell short in their latest losing campaign.
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