When the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh to be their head coach, it wasn't long before reports began to emerge that the former Baltimore Ravens bench boss would be bringing some of his old staff up to New Jersey with him. Among the biggest names was offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who engineered plenty of success (including back-to-back MVP awards) with Lamar Jackson over the last few years.
Well, about that: On Wednesday reports emerged that the Cleveland Browns hired Monken as their head coach. Which means Harbaugh and the Giants must now pivot to plan B. But there hasn't been a whole lot of chatter surrounding other candidates of late, as it appears that New York was considering Monken a slam dunk. So what now?
Ranking the Giants backup options at offensive coordinator
5. Davis Webb, Denver Broncos pass game coordinator/QB coach
While it would be beneficial for QB Jaxson Dart to grow into a more modern system developed by an up-and-coming offensive mind, I'm not so sure Harbaugh is going to feel the same. Webb clearly unlocked Bo Nix's potential in Denver and was a draft pick of the Giants back in the day. That's a plus on his resume, but the inexperience as a play-caller here may weigh too heavily against him. Webb is an intriguing option and shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, but Harbaugh may lean more towards what he's familiar with.
4. Willie Taggart, New York Giants RB coach
The former Oregon and Florida State head coach was brought in by Harbaugh in 2023 to be the Ravens' running backs coach and reportedly will join his staff in New York for 2026. Despite having accepted that job already, he could be in line for a promotion if things go sideways for the Giants in finding a replacement for Monken. Taggart has play-calling experience in his past, and considering his success in coaching up Derrick Henry will be awfully appealing to the likes of Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr.
3. Greg Roman, former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator
Harbaugh is already very acquainted with Roman, who preceded Monken as Baltimore's offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Things started off strong: In his first season, quarterback Lamar Jackson earned league MVP honors while dropping 3,127 passing yards and 36 touchdowns (and rushing for an additional seven scores). Baltimore also boasted the top rushing attack in the league that year at 206.0 yards per game. Harbaugh may be tempted to reunite with an old friend, although it's unclear whether he was holding back Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers offense by the end of his time there.
2. Charlie Weis Jr., LSU offensive coordinator
Before following Lane Kiffin to LSU, Weis was seen as a potential option for the Giants as early as Week 18. A move up from college to the NFL is always enticing for a young coordinator, but the biggest sweetener in this deal could be the chance to work with his old friend in Dart. His play designs allowed the former Rebel passer to thrive in Oxford and catch the attention of the Giants in the first place. Whether that actually translates to the pro game is a complete unknown, and that's a risk Harbaugh would have to weigh.
1. Nate Scheelhaase, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator
Scheelhaase has been frequently mentioned for other offensive coordinator jobs, and even the odd head coach vacancy or two. But he has yet to land a position, mostly because the Rams' run to the NFC Championship Game forced teams to wait for the opportunity to interview him. Now that he's been freed up, you can expect him to potentially be hired rather soon — Harbaugh may want to jump on him while he still can. He was responsible for Matthew Stafford's potential MVP season this year and he could do wonders for Dart, who is a whole 15 years younger.