The New York Giants have arguably had one of the best offseasons of any team in the NFL.
They kicked it off by landing the most coveted coach of the hiring cycle, former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, and carried the momentum into the rest of the offseason.
Despite being strapped for cash in free agency, they were still able to make some meaningful additions and retentions, such as right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
In the draft, they landed two blue-chip prospects in Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, two players who expect to play major roles in their rookie seasons.
But there’s still one position the team has yet to address this offseason fully, and it’s easily the biggest hole remaining on the roster.
Giants Must Take Care of the Center Position
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz compiled a list of every NFL team’s biggest roster roles after the 2026 NFL Draft, and for the New York Giants, he believes their largest issue is the center position, putting incumbent starter John Michael Schmitz on the hot seat.
Immediately after the draft, it would’ve been interior defensive tackle as the Giants‘ biggest need, especially in the wake of the Dexter Lawrence trade.
But with the additions of D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, all the attention has turned to New York’s center, Schmitz.
“They do have weaknesses, and one of them is John Michael Schmitz Jr., who has never quite lived up to his second-round draft potential in the center of the offensive line,” wrote Schatz.
“Last year, Schmitz ranked 23rd among starting centers with a 94.1% pass block win rate and 27th with a 65.1% run block win rate. The Giants brought in veteran Lucas Patrick to back up Schmitz, but Patrick played in only six games for the Bengals last season, partly due to a calf injury, and will be 33 years old this season.”
Since being selected with the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Schmitz has left a lot to be desired as the Giants’ long-term center.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Minnesota product was the 29th-best center among 40 qualified players last season, not good enough for a guy who was supposed to be the answer at the position for the next decade plus.
Schmitz enters the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, and it’ll be up to him and his play that dictates what his next deal will look like and what team he plays for.
Giants Other Major Weakness
While center is certainly a deserving mention as the New York Giants’ biggest weakness, another major problem on the roster could end up being wide receiver.
Malik Nabers is an ascending star in the NFL, but his ongoing knee recovery hangs like a cloud over the organization.
If Nabers isn’t ready to participate in training camp, let alone Week 1 of the 2026 season, Jaxson Dart’s primary targets will be Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin, and Darius Slayton.
Those three veterans are solid, but not exactly who you want your hopeful franchise quarterback leaning on in Year 2 of his NFL career.
Odell Beckham Jr. has been a long-rumored summer addition, but at this point in his career, he doesn’t move the needle all that much.
If the Giants can make it work financially, it may be worth their while checking in on the free agent markets of players such as Stefon Diggs or Deebo Samuel.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Giants’ John Michael Schmitz Put on Notice as Teams’ Biggest Need appeared first on HEAVY.