The alliance between the Mara Family and the Tisch Family has, by and large, been the gold standard for all such partnership agreements. From the moment Wellington Mara and Robert Tisch entered into their 50-50 arrangement at the top of the Giants’ organizational flow chart on Feb. 21, 1991, this has been a model affiliation.

Brian Baldinger spotlights Andrew Thomas

Regardless of whether Joe Schoen remains the Giants’ general manager in 2026, this team has important decisions to make on key in-house free agents — plus a starter due to play on the fifth-year option next year. These players include WR Wan’Dale Robinson (25), CB Cor’Dale Flott (25), RT Jermaine Eluemunor (31), ILB Micah McFadden (26), TE Daniel Bellinger (25), and OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (25).

Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) is targeting a Week 15 return coming out of the bye. Resting him for three games plus the bye has given Thibodeaux enough time to hopefully recover while avoiding injured reserve. While the Giants don’t have much to play for in the standings, Thibodeaux certainly does. He is set to play on a fifth-year option worth $14.75 million in 2026. Whether the Giants view him as an extension candidate this offseason is worth monitoring. The last few games could help determine the course of action for both sides.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1. Jaxson Dart, QB, Giants. Dart didn’t start until Week 4 and missed two games with a concussion. If he misses more time, some voters could use that against him. Dart’s impact on the Giants offense is undeniable. He sparked a lifeless offense and will make the Giants one of the most sought-after coaching jobs this offseason. His legs are obviously an asset, but he’s quickly developing as a pocket passer and has high-level accuracy.

SI.com’s Albert Breer on Giants job (starting at 7:28)

5. New York Giants. The New York Giants have struggled to find their footing in the 2020s for various reasons, but high-profile injuries have been among their biggest hurdles. Just as things looked to be improving for the franchise after the 2022-23 season, several injuries to Daniel Jones the following year led to a downturn in performance, which culminated in a 6-11 record.

Their most recent season saw 53 total missed games across the roster, a 279% increase from five years earlier, while they recorded just 14 absences in the 2020-21 season. Surprisingly, though, their best period was also the year with the most injury time, as Giants players missed a total of 55 games in the 2022-23 regular season.

New York Giants. Brian Parker III, IOL, Duke. Jaxson Dart needs to take better care of his body in regards to running the football, but there is no question he has brought a lot of energy to a Giants offense that has been without Malik Nabers for quite some time. If he is the quarterback of the future, then the franchise needs to take steps towards protecting him. Parker has played right tackle, but will transition inside at the next level. Duke, despite having five losses, has an opportunity to win the ACC with a win over No. 17 Virginia.

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