The New York Giants knew that hiring head coach John Harbaugh meant a roster overhaul was coming as well — they probably also knew he wasn’t going to nail every one of those changes out of the park.
ESPN’s Seth Walder gave out his offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams and generally praised the Giants, save for 1 move — signing inside linebacker and former 1st-round pick Tremaine Edmunds to a 3-year, $36 million contract.
Walder singled out the Edmunds deal as the 1 he disliked the most for the Giants this offseason but still gave the Giants a “B+” overall grade.
“In free agency, the Giants lost receiver Wan’Dale Robinson following his breakout 2025 campaign, leaving them with a weakness at the position — especially with Malik Nabers uncertain to be back by Week 1 from the knee injury he suffered early last season,” Walder wrote. “The team re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor to keep consistency at right tackle and brought in DT DJ Reader (to fill the hole left by Lawrence), CB Greg Newsome II and Edmunds — the last of whom was an overpay at three years, $36 million.”
Why Giants Spent So Big on Tremaine Edmunds
Edmunds was part of a free-agent spending frenzy for the Giants under Harbaugh, a Super Bowl-winning head coach fired by the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons and immediately scooped up by the Giants.
It’s worth pointing out that the Giants released 1 inside linebacker — Bobby Okereke — only to pick up another linebacker who’d just been released by his team in Edmunds.
While Edmunds is a 2-time Pro Bowler and still started 13 games and had 112 tackles for the Bears in 2025, he was also being overpaid on a 4-year, $72 million contract and was released to clear up $15 million in salary cap space.
That’s money he mostly got back in his contract with the Giants.
“Edmunds is a respected veteran who has a track record of success,” ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan wrote in March. “The Giants weren’t willing to trade for him, so they waited until he was released and then agreed to a deal after the start of free agency that includes $23.7 million guaranteed at $12 million per season. Edmunds started out last season strong, got banged up and sputtered down the stretch. But multiple sources who watched his tape said they believe he can still play at a high level despite this being his ninth professional season. He’ll also become an instant leader.”
Edmunds’ Other Job: Mentor 1st Round Pick
Edmunds will have 1 other very important job on the Giants — serving as a mentor to 2026 1st-round pick (No. 5 overall) Arvell Reese, who slots in as the other starting inside linebacker opposite Edmunds.
Interestingly enough, the 2 players have the same body type — Edmunds is 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds while Reese is 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds. Edmunds was also a 1st-round pick, going to the Buffalo Bills at No. 16 overall out of Virginia Tech in the 2018 NFL draft.
Reese won a national championship at Ohio State in 2024, then followed that up by being named an All-American and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2025 with 69 tackles, 10 TFL, and 6.5 sacks. He’s also still only 20 years old.
“Reese plays off-ball linebacker and stand-up edge with the talent to post impact production from either spot,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. “His third-down versatility adds alignment variety and helps camouflage defensive intent. His run diagnosis and angles of attack are average, but he flows quickly once he triggers, using assertive hands to stack and play off blocks. He’s fast in pursuit and his tackle finishing could become elite. His rush is kinetic and tough for tackles to mirror. It’s under construction, but Reese has already sprouted go-to moves and rush plans that need more refinement. He might need some runway to hit his stride, but his rare blend of traits, explosiveness and versatility could become a perfect storm of chaos once a defense decides how to deploy him.”
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