New York Giants depth chart: How free agency has changed the roster

The New York Giants have been one of the busiest teams during NFL free agency. Per Over The Cap, the Giants have spent $194.52 million in free agency, fourth-most in the NFL behind the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and usually thrifty Cincinnati Bengals.

Per OTC, the Giants have signed 12 players to contracts worth more than $1.17M average annual value.

How have the Giants’ free agent gains — and losses — impacted the roster heading into the 2025 NFL Draft? Let’s look at a very unofficial Giants depth chart to figure that out. This is the tail end of March. Please don’t get hung up on who I have placed on the second- or third-teams. That really doesn’t matter right now.

The only effort here is to try and pinpoint what areas of the roster still need to be addressed as we head into the draft.

Anyway, let’s get to it. I will offer thoughts on each position group.

Giants 2025 Depth Chart — Offense

Quarterback (2) — Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito

If the Giants had to play this week, Winston would give them a capable starting quarterback. The Giants, though, are not done at quarterback. They can’t be.

They are said to be still be in play as potential destinations for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. There is also an expectation that Joe Schoen will draft a quarterback for the first time in four offseason as Giants general manager. How early? That’s anybody’s guess.

If I had to guess right now, I think the Week 1 starting quarterback for the Giants is Wilson. I think the rookie quarterback probably comes from the Jaxson Dart/Tyler Shough/Jalen Milroe/Will Howard/Kyle McCord group.

Wilson, diminished though he is from his best years, would be the Giants’ best quarterback since Eli Manning. The win-now need for Schoen and Brian Daboll in 2025 leads me to believe as of now that they would add Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter for immediate impact rather than Shedeur Sanders, and would add a developmental quarterback farther into the draft.

Running back (4) — Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, Eric Gray, Dante Miller

This is the same group the Giants had last season. I won’t be surprised if they add to the group on Day 3 of the draft.

An interesting name to watch is Kaleb Johnson of Iowa, currently the No. 67 overall prospect on the NFL Mock Draft Database big board. The Giants recently hired Ladell Betts, Johnson’s running backs coach at Iowa, to be their running backs coach.

Tight ends (4) — Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz, Daniel Bellinger, Greg Dulcich

The biggest question here will be the recovery of Johnson from Lisfranc surgery. Adding to this group may not be a high priority, but using a Day 3 pick on a developmental player as protection against Johnson’s injury and perhaps a long-term replacement for Manhertz or Bellinger isn’t a bad idea.

Offensive line (14) — Starters: LT — Andrew Thomas; LG — Jon Runyan Jr.; C — John Michael Schmitz; RG — Greg Van Roten; RT — Jermaine Eluemunor; Backups: OT — James Hudson III, Evan Neal, Stone Forsythe; G — Aaron Stinnie, Josh Ezeudu, Jake Kubas; C — Austin Schlottman, Jimmy Morrissey, Bryan Hudson

As of now, the starting five is the same group the Giants began last season with. That’s not a bad thing. That line played reasonably well. Injuries exposed the lack of quality depth, particularly at tackle. If Thomas can stay healthy and show that he is still an All-Pro caliber player, that starting group is fine.

There may well be a competition at right guard, and it is entirely possible that a highly-drafted rookie is part of it. Van Roten will be 35 this season, and how long he can be expected to continue playing at a high level is debatable.

The Giants added real swing tackles in James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe, so the ‘Josh Ezeudu can play tackle’ insistence should be no more.

Where Evan Neal fits — or, if he fits at all — remains to be seen.

Wide receiver (9) — Starters: Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson; Backups — Jalin Hyatt, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Josh Pascal, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Montrell Washington

The surprising return of Slayton leaves the starting group intact. Where do Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Josh Pascal fit? Can Jalin Hyatt finally take a step forward?

I don’t see this position group as a high draft priority, but adding an option on Day 3 to push or eventually replace Hyatt is a possibility.

Giants 2025 Depth Chart — Defense

Defensive line (10) — Starters: Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Chauncey Golston; Backups: Roy Robertson-Harris, Elijah Chatman, Cory Durden, Elijah Garcia, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Ross Blacklock, Casey Rogers

I am listing Golston as a defensive end, though he could really fill a Jihad Ward-like role and play some at both end and outside linebacker. Like he said when I asked him recently what position he prefers to play “I prefer to be on the field. Whatever is going to get me out there.”

The depth looks better with the additions of veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter.

The draft is deep in defensive line talent. I fully expect the Giants to capitalize on that, perhaps as early as Day 2.

Edge defenders (4) — Starters: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns; Backups — Victor Dimukeje, Tomon Fox

The Giants lost Azeez Ojulari and Patrick Johnson in free agency, both to the Philadelphia Eagles. They signed veteran Victor Dimukeje, but one look at the depth chart tells you they need more at this position.

Would they draft Penn State’s Abdul Carter at No. 3 and task defensive coordinator Shane Bowen with figuring out how to play Carter, Thibodeaux and Burns together? Maybe. Regardless, the depth here still needs to be addressed.

Inside linebackers (6) — Starters: Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden; Backups — Dyontae Johnson, Darius Muasau, Chris Board, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

I don’t know what is going on between Okereke and the Giants, but he is a better player than he showed a year ago. Bowen needs to figure out how to get him back to his 2023 level. McFadden is a good player.

Johnson and Mausau are good, young backups. Board and Flannigan-Fowles are special teams-first players who can fill in if needed.

For me, this position is not a draft priority.

Cornerback (8) — Starters: Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks, Dru Phillips; Backups — Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins, Nic Jones, Art Green, Dee Williams

Adding Adebo changes this position dramatically. Phillips showed potential last season of becoming one of the league’s best slot cornerbacks. Banks had a rocky 2024 season, but he is still a former first-round draft pick with all the physical gifts needed to be successful in the NFL.

Flott can play both inside and outside and profiles as an excellent fourth cornerback.

This position is not the priority it was prior to the signing of Adebo, but adding another developmental cornerback in the middle or later portions of the draft would be a good idea.

Safety (5) — Starters: Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin; Backups — Dane Belton, Anthony Johnson, Raheem Layne

Giants fans should be excited about the Holland-Nubin tandem. Belton has never shown to be more than a depth piece/special teams player, and Johnson and Layne are back end of the roster players. If the Giants can add depth/competition to this spot in the draft, that would be a good thing.

Giants 2025 Depth Chart — Special Teams

Not much to see here. The Giants are bringing 37-year-old placekicker Graham Gano back, which is a bit of a surprise after two injury-plagued years. Kick returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette was re-signed, and that should help alleviate the annual “who is the returner?” question.