Why John Harbaugh is the perfect hire to bring Giants back to Super Bowl contention

The New York Giants have started the offseason with a bang. New York is finalizing a deal with John Harbaugh that will make him the team’s next head coach. Harbaugh will sign a five-year contract that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches. Once the deal is finalized, it will start a brand new era of Giants football.

This is huge news in the NFL that suddenly appeared possible on Wednesday. Harbaugh interviewed with the Giants on Wednesday, making them the first team he met with after the Ravens fired him last week. There was even the possibility that Harbaugh did not leave New York’s facility without a new deal.

Adding Harbaugh completely changes the trajectory of the offseason for the Giants. It should also turn them into a much more competitive team during the 2026 season.

Will Harbaugh immediately turn the Giants into contenders? And what moves will he make this offseason to upgrade the roster?

Below we will explore why John Harbaugh is the perfect hire to get the Giants back to the Super Bowl.

John Harbaugh can build a winning culture in New York

Harbaugh built a winning culture in Baltimore after he was hired as head coach back in 2008. He can do the same thing in New York too.

The 63-year-old head coach went 180-113 in the regular season during his time with the Ravens. While he does not have a perfect streak of winning seasons like Mike Tomlin, Harbaugh clearly built a consistent winner in Baltimore.

Harbaugh led the Ravens to 12 playoff appearances in 18 seasons. Baltimore went 13-11 in the postseason during that stretch, including a Super Bowl run during the 2012 season.

The expectation will be that Harbaugh builds the same kind of culture in New York.

We know that Harbaugh has what it takes to make that happen. Fortunately, the Giants already have many of the ingredients needed to become a championship-caliber team.

The Giants already have a talented roster to build upon

Harbaugh was rumored to be seeking a destination with a solid quarterback, draft capital, and financial flexibility with the salary cap. The Giants check every one of those boxes.

Everything for the Giants starts with Jaxson Dart. The rookie quarterback flashed some brilliance for New York this season, even after the offense was decimated by injury. He will be in good hands with Harbaugh leading the team.

The Giants have more than just Dart to build around. New York has a solid core of offensive weapons headlined by Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. They also have a decent offensive line with Andrew Thomas as an anchor at left tackle.

Meanwhile, New York’s defense already looks dangerous. Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Abdul Carter form the backbone of a fearsome front seven. But the Giants also have a solid secondary with Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin, Dru Phillips, and others in the secondary.

Plus there are those resources that Harbaugh wanted from his new team.

The Giants have $4.36 million in cap space right now and have the flexibility to push some money into future seasons. New York also has $112.86 million in cap space on the horizon in 2027. So the financial flexibility is definitely there.

As for draft picks, the Giants hold the fifth overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. They have seven total selections, with three picks in the sixth round.

Harbaugh has all the pieces he needs to turn the Giants into a contender over the next few seasons.

Harbaugh’s connections should help him build an excellent coaching staff

The next priority for the Giants will be assembling a coaching staff around Harbaugh.

Many of Brian Daboll’s hires will likely seek homes this offseason, making room for new hires who fit Harbaugh’s vision for the team.

There are already a few coaches from Baltimore who could join Harbaugh in New York.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Thursday that Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is among the team’s leading candidates. Garafolo added that it is unclear how many Ravens assistant coaches Harbaugh will take with him to the Giants. Much of Baltimore’s coaching staff is under contract through 2027, so many conversations will need to be had.

Meanwhile, another big question could be the future of general manager Joe Schoen.

Harbaugh is also rumored to want total authority over the roster and the ability to pick his own general manager. If that is true, it could mean that Schoen could be fired shortly after Harbaugh’s deal becomes official.

Finding a new general manager would seemingly be the next biggest priority for the Giants.

Either way, Giants fans have to be excited about bringing in Harbaugh to the organization.

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