Following yet another disappointing season in New York, the Giants are eager to be relevant again. Players, coaches, and fans have a newfound hope for 2026 after landing John Harbaugh as head coach. In just over two months, Harbaugh and his personnel have helped to reshape the New York Giants offense.
They’ve done that through what Fireside Giants co-host Anthony Rivardo is calling a “Moneyball” approach. In a post on X, Rivardo detailed how the Giants let Wan’Dale Robinson walk in free agency. The Tennessee Titans signed him for $17.5 million annually. Instead, the Giants used $17.5 million to sign Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney, and Isaiah Likely; three for the price of one.
Moneyball Approach Helps Reshape the New York Giants’ Offense
What is the “Moneyball approach”?
From 1998-2015, Billy Beane was the general manager of the Oakland Athletics. During his early tenure, Beane used a data-driven “Moneyball” theory to build the roster. The Athletics rejected traditional scouting methods and made several cost-effective moves. Oakland had to find a way to compete as a smaller-market team. While the New York Giants are certainly not a small market, they are using some strategies of the Moneyball approach.
Dawn Aponte Has Her Fingerprints All Over the New-Look Giants Offense
In 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh finished with a losing record just three times. That includes going 8-9 in 2025. Over the last 10 seasons, New York has had a winning record just twice. Harbaugh took over a roster that needed some serious rebuilding. The veteran head coach hired someone to join the front office and help rebuild the team the right way. Dawn Aponte was hired as Senior Vice President of Football Operations & Strategy.
Before she joined New York, Aponte served as the NFL’s Chief Football Administrative Officer since 2017. Aponte started as an intern with the Jets in 1991 and has worked her way up the ladder. With the Giants, Aponte is responsible for strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, and more. Aponte has been a key figure in helping the Giants implement a “Moneyball” approach.
Three for the Price of One
Despite a breakout season for the Giants in 2025, the team let Robinson walk in free agency. New York could not justify paying the five-foot-eight slot receiver to be the wide receiver two moving forward. The Giants still need another solid wide receiver to pair with Malik Nabers long-term. For the 2026 season, New York used a Moneyball approach to replace Robinson. The Titans gave the 25-year-old a four-year, $78 million contract. Robinson is set to earn $17.5 million annually.
After spending his first four seasons with Baltimore, Likley followed John Harbaugh to New York. The Giants signed Likley to a three-year, $40 million deal with $26 million guaranteed. He is on the books for $13 million in 2026. Over his first four seasons, Likley has been versatile, running almost half of his routes from the slot. He’ll be a reliable target for Jaxson Dart in his second season.
Additionally, the team signed Austin III and Mooney for a combined $4.5 million in 2026. They are both on one-year deals. Austin was with Pittsburgh in 2025, and Mooney with Atlanta. New York could have signed Robinson for $17.5 million. However, the team used $17.5 million to sign three players who can impact winning in 2026. This was genius by Dawn Aponte and the front office. New York could add a receiver through the draft to add another weapon for Dart. How many wins will the Giants have in 2026?
