Developing League-wide Trend Could Favor Giants TE Daniel Bellinger's Return

Will the New York Giants retain impending free agent tight end Daniel Bellinger?

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Daniel Bellinger, TE

Height: 6-6
Weight: 255 lbs
Age: 25
NFL Exp.: 4 Years
College: San Diego State

Daniel Bellinger was the 112th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft for the New York Giants, leaving him as an impending free agent this offseason after his four-year, $4.5 million contract runs out.

An underused player during his time with the Giants, Bellinger was also one of the most versatile tight ends on the roster, having lined up inline, in the slot, in the backfield, and out wide.

That kind of versatility, combined with his reliable hands, makes him a sneaky valuable part of this offense, one that we could see a case being made for in terms of a re-signing, so long as he’s not looking to be a TE1 or to be paid among the league’s highest paid tight ends. 

2025 Season Recap

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger | David Banks-Imagn Images

Bellinger had a career-high in yards in 2025 with 286, despite having the second-fewest catches of his career with just 19.

The 2025 season was also the first time that Bellinger found the end zone since his rookie season in 2022, when he also had two touchdowns.

Despite the inconsistent production, Bellinger’s best year of his career was 2025, a byproduct of having the best quarterback of his career in rookie Jaxson Dart.

As a blocker, Bellinger had one of the better years of his career as well, where he played a key role in the success the Giants found on the ground. Bellinger finished with a 60.9 run-blocking grade from PFF, where he was primarily used in a zone blocking role.

And as a pass blocker, he posted a career-best 68.2 PFF grade, having allowed just three pressures in 275 pass-blocking snaps. 

Why the Giants Should Keep Him

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bellinger is primarily an inline tight end who’s had, at best, fairly limited, inconsistent production throughout his career.

While he certainly helped himself in 2025, it’s doubtful that Bellinger commands much that would knock him out of the Giants' financial range.

Throughout his career, Bellinger has been consistent on film, despite his production not matching it.

Retaining someone consistent on film, who is coming off a career year and has visible chemistry with Dart, could ease the transition under a new coach in 2026.

Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Bellinger is still a player primarily known for his blocking rather than as a big receiving threat, though to be fair, this year he had a career-best 7.1 yards after the catch, showing more athleticism than he had in previous years.

Given how often the Giants ran two-tight end sets in 2025, the new coach could add a more threatening pass-catcher at the position while keeping a low price tag.

Also noteworthy: without an offensive coordinator in place, we don’t know how well Bellinger might fit into the scheme. However, head coach John Harbaugh has said he doesn’t want an offensive coordinator married to one scheme, which leaves the door open for a Bellinger return.

Keep or Move On?

New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Giants should look to keep Bellinger on the roster if he would take less than $6M annually to return.

While some will think that’s steep for a second tight end, the Giants are in a spot where Theo Johnson is still on his rookie contract for another two years, leaving the Giants with some leeway in their tight end investments.

More importantly, the NFL is shifting back toward 12-personnel, and Bellinger was the Giants’ TE2 in 2025, a role he would likely repeat in 2026. Teams are starting to pay their TE2 more as the shift toward 12-personnel continues and the TE2 role expands.

Paying Bellinger would still keep the Giants’ total overall cap invested in the tight end room to a reasonable amount.

The Giants currently have the third-lowest annual financial commitment league-wide to their tight ends, with $2.325 million tied up in two contracts at the position. Re-signing Bellinger at a reasonable amount should be a no-brainer. 

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