Giants 2026 Position Breakdown: Big Blue Could Field Their Best Offensive Line In Years

Heading into the 2026 season, the Giants are coming off yet another disappointing season that saw them go 4-13, with head coach Brian Daboll fired midway through.

But with new head coach John Harbaugh comes a new energy and a belief that this Giants team can take a big step forward.

In this series, we’ll break down the depth chart for every position group. This time, we’ll go in-depth along the offensive line…

Projected depth chart

Starters (left to right): Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz, Sisi Mauigoa, Jermaine Eluemunor
Key Backups: Aaron Stinnie, Marcus Mbow, Daniel Faalele
Key additions/losses: Drafted Mauigoa in first round, signed Faalele
Top Performer in 2025:Thomas
2025 ranking via PFF: Third among 89 qualifying tackles

What Giants' offensive line has going for them

It should be noted in all of these position previews that a lot can happen between now and the start of the regular season, and games are not won on paper. But with that said, the Giants enter the 2026 season with perhaps their best offensive line in recent memory.

Thomas, of course, is a former All-Pro, but he's played just 19 total games over the last two seasons due to injuries. When he's healthy, there's no doubting that Thomas is among the premier tackles in all of football, and he gives the Giants someone they don't need to worry about or give extra help to at the all-important left tackle spot. 

Runyan and Schmitz need to show some improvement (more on that in a minute), and the right guard spot will certainly be one to watch with the expectation that the rookie Mauigoa, who primarily played tackle in college, will start at right guard. 

Then you have Eluemunor, who has been a bit of a revelation for the Giants over the last two seasons, expected to be the starting right tackle.

Again, plans could change and players can get hurt, but if that's the Giants' starting five going into the year, then they'll have a pretty solid group to protect Jaxson Dart.

Key concern for 2026: Keeping the tackles, especially Thomas, healthy

For the Giants' best-laid plans to work, they need to keep their bookend tackles on the field. 

That's easier said than done, and there's always some luck involved with players staying healthy. But if Thomas can't stay on the field, that probably creates a game of musical chairs along the line, with Eluemunor or perhaps even the rookie Mauigoa moving over to left tackle. 

Chemistry is key across all positions, but perhaps nowhere more so than the offensive line.

Players who must step up in 2026: Runyan and Schmitz

The Giants are in very good shape at the tackle spots, and while Mauigoa's transition to the pro game is still to be seen, New York needs to get better play from both Runyan and Schmitz.

According to PFF, Runyan ranked ranked 67th among 81 qualifying guards last season. Schmitz, meanwhile, ranked 28th out of 40 qualifying centers.

For Dart to develop into the superstar that he can be, he can't constantly have pressure in his face from the middle of the offensive line.

Biggest camp battle: Mauigoa vs. Faalele

Faalele was a fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens and was a full-time starter there for the past two seasons. When head coaches switch teams, they often bring in players they're familiar with -- sometimes to help teach the system, but sometimes to play.

Mauigoa may have the edge at right guard, given that the Giants used a first-round pick on him. But if he struggles at all during camp, Faalele could easily assume the starting role. 

Overall 2026 outlook

With Dart leading the huddle and Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo expected to be ready for the start of the season, the Giants could have an explosive offense. 

But all the playmakers in the world won't make a difference if Dart doesn't have time to get them the ball, or if Skattebo has no lanes to run through.

The Giants have the pieces to have one of the better offensive lines in football, as they were already a Top-10 group in 2025, according to PFF. Now they just have to go out and prove it.