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Editor's note: This is Part 19 of 26 in Art Stapleton's New York Giants summer series Q&A
You never want to look too far into the future in the NFL, and that applies to the New York Giants far too many times over in the past decade-plus.
Head coaching changes. Constant roster turnover without many second deals for draft picks.
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When you lose as much as Big Blue has, staying in the moment and avoiding the pitfalls of the recent past becomes a never-ending quest for a franchise.
The presence of John Harbaugh as head coach represents a new beginning for the Giants, of course, and there is reason to believe that this is just the start of a promising future - and with that level of optimism, it's not too early to look ahead and prepare for what's coming down the road, even if the focus remains on Sept. 13 and opening night at MetLife Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys.
For now, there are far more questions than answers as Harbaugh prepares to kick off his first training camp here in West Virginia at the Greenbrier on July 28. But we hope to set the table for the summer and beyond with 26 questions that will define the 2026 Giants season.
Question #19: Who will be next Giants player to get a big contract extension?
The Giants have every reason to sign Brian Burns to a new contract extension. They don't want a repeat of the Dexter Lawrence situation, and Burns was already the leader of this defense BEFORE Lawrence asked out and got his wish with the trade to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft that became starting right guard Sisi Mauigoa.
Burns set career highs in sacks (16.5), quarterback hits (31), tackles for loss (22), and forced fumbles (tied with three) while starting all 17 games. He was second in the NFL in sacks to Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns, who broke the single-season record with 23.0. The previous record of 22.5 was shared by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and J.J. Watt.
Since 2019, the 28-year-old Burns is fifth in the NFL in sacks with 71.5. Yes, he still has three years remaining on the lucrative contract he signed after the Giants made the trade with Carolina two years ago.
But as things played out with Lawrence, if Burns continues his ascension, he will be deserving of additional guaranteed money sooner rather than later. And truth be told: Burns has salary cap hits of $44 million in 2027 and 2028, so a new deal with new money spread out to easy those hits does make sense as well.
If Jaxson Dart is the face of the offense, Burns is the same for this defense. The Giants have watched Leonard Williams, Julian Love and Xavier McKinney all leave this side of the ball and cash in. Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese are young cornerstones just starting out on rookie deals. Burns is in his prime.
Could Kayvon Thibodeaux play his way into a new contract with the Giants? Consensus might be that he won't, but stranger things have happened, especially at a premium position. Andrew Thomas will likely have to stay healthy for the majority of a full season before the Giants go to work on a new deal for the star left tackle.
Things could look a lot differently if Malik Nabers were healthy from jump, considering he will be eligible for a new contract at the end of the 2026 season, his third as a pro. That could still materialize if Nabers is healthy and produces in this offense. One more sleeper: center John Michael Schmitz if he finally takes a step forward and becomes a stabilizing force in the middle of an offensive line of which much is expected internally.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Who will be the next Giants player to get a big contract extension?
