The New York Giants and head coach John Harbaugh agreed to terms on a five-year deal last week valued at around $100 million following days of finalizing negotiations. Harbaugh marks the seventh coach the team will have in the saddle following longtime head coach Tim Coughlin’s resignation in 2015.

Harbaugh’s signing comes after days of an all-out strategy by New York to get the most-coveted coach of the cycle in their building, which reportedly included lunches and meetings with former Giants players and coaches. The 63-year-old told ESPN that he was “proud and honored to be the head coach of this historic franchise.”

It was a move long-fantasized for fans of the team after the news was first reported on Thursday, following some drama during the negotiation process. With formalities out of the way, Harbaugh has a lot of work to do to try to get the organization back to the promised land and former glory at the top of the football hill. There are a few moves he can start out with that would change the course of the organization.

My Hottest Take: Harbaugh Must Take Full Control Of The Roster

One of the demands Harbaugh reportedly had on his list is near or full-control of roster decisions for the team. Rumors suggested that general manager Joe Schoen wasn’t too fond of the new structure of power, which resulted in a freeze in discussions. It later came out that the new reporting structure, which would go around Schoen and right between Harbaugh and owner John Mara, was the issue.

Regardless of the issue, the first thing Harbaugh must do is begin to reconstruct the roster while keeping the young player core intact. New York has a treasure trove of young, promising players on offense in wide receiver Malik Nabers, quarterback Jaxson Dart, and running back Cam Skattebo. On defense, linebackers Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, alongside cornerback Cor’Dale Flott anchor the defense. It goes without mentioning that they have the fifth overall pick.

This early draft pick will shape the current look of the organization and the direction it wants to go, which could mean the selection of a defensive stalwart in Caleb Downs or Arvell Reese if he falls that far. Per SI, the team’s two biggest issues are their run defense and secondary play, which fell apart under Shane Bowen. Harbaugh and Baltimore, in general, are known for their strong defensive play and development of young players.

“Harbaugh’s second challenge will be figuring out which system will work best to fix these issues and putting the young players in the Giants' secondary in positions to make more game-changing plays,” SI wrote.

What You Need To Know: This Is Not An Overnight Fix

Getting Harbaugh solves the carousel of the head coaching spot, but fans must exercise caution and patience since this is likely not going to be a one-season fix. Bad coaching decisions and roster setups can take years to fix if they’re neglected, as they have been with the Giants. It’s going to start with new coaches and smarter draft picks.

Harbaugh reportedly wants to bring in familiar faces to New York, especially Ravens’ offensive coordinator Todd Monken and defensive coordinator Zach Orr. While these are all decent selections, especially with reportedly trying to keep offensive line coach Carme Bricillo on the Giants, there will be a period of transitioning. New offensive schemes, defensive schemes and overall culture will be tough for at least the first year or two.

As for being smarter with draft picks, Harbaugh will have more say in who the team gets, but several swings and misses in the last few years set the Giants back significantly. In 2021, the team selected Kadarius Toney over Christian Darrisaw or Travis Ettienne. New York also infamously selected cornerback Eli Apple over Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil. They also selected Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 over future Hall-of-Fame guard Zack Martin, who went to the Dallas Cowboys just a few picks later.

Looking at the Ravens’ draft history at the time, it’s significantly better than the Giants' and how they did. Of course, not all of it is attributable to Harbaugh, but he seems to be a lot better than Brian Daboll or any of the previous coaches.

Before You Go: Joe Schoen Is On His Last Chance

If it wasn’t obvious before, Schoen is on his last chance with the Giants after three years of dismal play following their surprise 2022 playoff appearance. Schoen escaped the Black Monday massacre of head coaches and general managers following the end of the regular season, but not by much. He even expressed relief himself.

“I’m fortunate to have great ownership here where you’re allowed to stub your toe and try to course correct,” Schoen told the New York Post. “We’re going to get the right person to lead the franchise and, again, get us back to what the standard is.”

It’s far too early to say whether Schoen will survive 2026, but the hiring of Harbaugh, who also wanted his own general manager, shows that the walls are too tight for error. Schoen must get the draft right, the roster setup right, and the entire culture of the locker room right. If he finishes with another four-win season or a 10-loss season, he will be out.