New York Giants 2025 Training Camp Preview: TE Daniel Bellinger

Bellinger will be looking to impress in a contract year.

Aug 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) stiff arms the Detroit Lions defender at MetLife Stadium. | Scott Rausenberger-Imagn Images

The New York Giants drafted Daniel Bellinger in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. During his rookie season, he started making a name for himself. 

He missed a five-game stretch in the middle of the season with an eye injury. He finished the season with 30 receptions for 268 yards and two receiving touchdowns. 

He also added a one-yard touchdown run. After that first season, many people thought he was well on his way to becoming the unquestioned TE1 for Big Blue. 

In 2023, the Giants traded for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller. That relegated Bellinger back to TE2 status, which stunted his growth in year two. 

He finished the season with 25 receptions for 255 yards. Then the Giants used another fifth-round draft pick on tight end Theo Johnson in the offseason. 

Over the past two seasons, Bellinger has not found the endzone. It has been very disappointing not to see him have the opportunity to take the next steps in his career. He has seemed more special teams-oriented during the past two seasons than he initially had. 

In 2022, he received 72 percent of the offensive snaps and only 3% of the special teams stats. Over the next two seasons, we observed a 40% decrease in his offensive snaps, while his special teams numbers increased by 42%. 

The 2025 season could be the final one for Bellinger in a Giants uniform. That's a far cry from what many believed he would be back in 2022. 

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Daniel Bellinger, TE

• Height: 6-6
• Weight: 255  lbs.
• Exp.: 4 years
• School: San Diego State
• How Acquired: D4-'22

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2024 in Review

The 2024 season was the worst statistical one for Bellinger. He started eight of the 17 games. He only received 17 targets and hauled in 14 passes for only 125 yards. He did not score a touchdown. 

He recorded his lowest total offensive snaps of his career. His 365 snaps were only 32% of the total offensive snaps. He also recorded his highest total of special teams snaps. He finished competing in 45% of the snaps there. 

It was a big change in his usage because of the presence of more run-blocking tight ends like Chris Manhertz and 2024 fifth-round pick Theo Johnson. 

Bellinger did record three special teams tackles, which is not bad for a guy who has been forced to lean into more heavy special teams play. 

Contract/Cap Info

In 2022, Daniel Bellinger signed a four-year, $4.45 million contract with the New York Giants. This season is the final year of his contract, which has an average annual value of $1.1 million.

It also came with a $793,000 signing bonus and a $793,000 guaranteed salary. In 2025, Bellinger is expected to earn a base salary of $3.4 million while carrying a cap hit of $3.6 million. He comes with a dead cap value of $198,000. 

2025 Preview

Bellinger feels like the odd man out as a tight end on this team. With so many receiving talents on the team, there will not be many multiple tight-end sets on the field, and we know Theo Johnson will be receiving the lion's share of the snaps. 

Bellinger will likely need to fully reinvent himself as a quality special teamer to secure his spot on this team. He could find himself as the odd man out in this tight end rotation, with Johnson and Manhertz filling specific offensive needs. 

Bellinger will find it difficult to grab snaps and targets as a pass receiver with Johnson ascending, and it will be tough to get reps as a blocker with Manhertz, who is on the team as the blocking guy. 

Bellinger will likely be in the TE3 role if he makes the roster. He will get competition from Nebraska rookie Thomas Fidone II, who will be a cheaper, younger, and possibly more aggressive option.

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