The New York Giants could aim to make a major upgrade to their offense in free agency. Their offense ranked 31st in scoring in 2024. Upgrading the unit will be the primary focus of general manager Joe Schoen in the offseason. One dependable weapon will be available in free agency as a potential upgrade to the Giants’ backfield.
The Giants could add a consistent rusher in free agency
The Giants could round out their offense by bringing in a legitimate 1,000-yard ball carrier like former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris. The Alabama product can not only bring volume yardage, but also the ability to find the end zone to New York’s ranks, as seen by his six rushing touchdowns from 2024. His 4.0 yards per carry are also encouraging.
New York’s backfield is currently held down by breakout rookie rusher Tyrone Tracy Jr., who amassed 839 rushing yards and five rush TDs last season. Nevertheless, if the Giants want to truly elevate, they have the opportunity to form a two-headed monster behind the line of scrimmage for the 2025 campaign.
All Super Bowl-winning teams in the NFL need multiple elite offensive options on their roster to succeed. The Giants have one in their wide receiver room with an incumbent superstar in Malik Nabers. With the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they could also land another with a top-shelf prospect the likes of Miami quarterback Cam Ward or Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
However, the talented bell cow may come at an expensive price, as Yahoo Sports’ Aaron Becker reported:
“According to Spotrac, Harris is projected to receive a three-year, $27.5 million deal on the open market. That would put the 26-year-old’s per year average at about $9.2 million, which would be the eighth highest in the NFL, behind Cardinals’ James Conner ($9.5M per year) and in front of Lions’ David Montgomery ($9.125M per year),” Becker wrote.
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Giants have cap space to acquire Harris in free agency
The Giants are projected to have $43.38 million in cap space this offseason, so they could reasonably afford to sign Harris. However, spending big money on the running back position two offseasons in a row might be a tough sell from Schoen to Giants fans after letting Saquon Barkley walk in free agency in the 2024 offseason. They also signed veteran RB Devin Singletary last offseason.
Nevertheless, a good offense can’t have enough weapons, especially when building around a young and inexperienced running back. If he could be had for a fair price, signing Harris in free agency could make sense for the Giants.