Retooling the offense around Jaxson Dart has kept the New York Giants busy during the 2026 NFL offseason, with the team adding half a dozen new wide receivers, a dynamic “move” tight end, an All-Pro fullback and a top-10 draft pick to reinforce the offensive line in front of its would-be franchise quarterback. Unfortunately, that’s not enough for Big Blue to escape criticism for one particular change made to the infrastructure around Dart.
The change in question is the decision by new head coach John Harbaugh to hire Matt Nagy as Dart’s latest offensive coordinator. Having Nagy on the headset is bad because the 48-year-old “has to be considered a below-average play caller,” according to Jared Dubin of CBS Sports.
Dubin used Nagy’s presence as the main reason for the Giants appearing so low in the rankings of the best offensive infrastructures around the league. The list, determined by how well every team has “best set up their quarterback for success,” places the Giants in “Tier 5: Help Wanted”
It’s a tough grade, particularly for Nagy, but this isn’t the first time somebody has warned the Giants the former Chicago Bears head coach is going to be a problem for Dart.
Yet, it’s easy to ask if all of this criticism of Nagy is even fair? After all, he has a decorated career CV featuring multiple Super Bowl titles as an OC. Nagy’s work with one raw, but gifted athlete at football’s most important position provides the ideal template for refining Dart’s talents.
The Giants have also safeguarded any negative impact from Nagy’s play-calling with another key hire.
Matt Nagy Makes Sense for Jaxson Dart
Nagy won his two NFL Championships holding the call-sheet for the Kansas City Chiefs. The role put him in direct contact with Patrick Mahomes, arguably the most dominant quarterback of this decade.
Mahomes has natural gung-ho instincts and a fondness for ad-libbing, both in and out of the pocket. It was Nagy, along with the not-inconsiderable guidance of Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid, who helped reshape Mahomes’ off-script tendencies within a more structured system.
GettyNagy’s work with Mahomes provides the formula for the way the Giants want Dart to develop.
That’s the same challenge the Giants face with Dart. The latter needs to shed some bad habits about when to run and when to throw. It’s the only way Dart is ever going to show the improvement from the pocket he needs to become a true star in the pros.
Nagy can teach Dart these nuances, without completely limiting the daring temperament and unorthodox traits that make the former Ole Miss standout an innate playmaker. It’s a tough balancing act for Nagy, and so far the adjustment process has proved tricky for Dart.
Fortunately, Harbaugh has ensured the success of the Giants’ offense in 2026 won’t be tethered to its quarterback, nor its primary play-caller.
Giants Protected from Supposed OC Problem
Harbaugh’s decision to add experienced offensive coordinator and longtime ally Greg Roman to the staff was significant. Roman is a safeguard of sorts against Nagy not making the grade.
The safety net is provided by Roman’s deserved reputation as one of the best designers of running plays in the game. He calls a ground attack based on power and relentless punishment of defenses, a mix perfectly suited to key personnel around Dart.
Personnel like 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard, who is already keen to lead the way for bruising second-year running back Cam Skattebo. Similar enthusiasm for knocking open rushing lanes for Skattebo is shared by 335-pound rookie guard Francis ‘Sisi’ Mauigoa, one of the Giants’ two first-round draft picks this year.
GettyBeing able to lean on Skattebo within a run-heavy offense will protect Dart’s development.
Roman coordinating a running game fortified by this much beef makes Skattebo a worthy breakout candidate as a workhorse able to take the pressure off Dart. Skattebo needs to be healthy after dislocating his ankle as a rookie, but he’s trending in the right direction.
That’s good news for Dart, who is set to benefit from the best of both worlds. He’ll get to lean on a potentially dominant running game, while also improving his clutch traits as a passer by trusting the Mahomes-esque concepts in Nagy’s playbook.
Giants Dinged by Matt Nagy Problem