Giants TE Daniel Bellinger Focused on One Goal

By all accounts, New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger had a solid rookie campaign last year.

A fourth-round pick out of San Diego State, Bellinger appeared in 12 games with 11 starts (missing four to a midyear eye injury). He caught 30 of 35 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns and had one rushing attempt--a touchdown--for two yards.

But BEllinger's modest production as TE1 didn't stop the Giants from adding to the position, doing so through their acquisition of Darren Waller from the Raiders. And with the arrival of Waller, it was only fair to wonder what kind of role Bellinger might have moving forward.

The answer is TE2 in what could see the Giants run a lot of multi-tight end sets. Bellinger, who is more of a blocker than Waller, is also versatile enough to line up in other places besides the traditional Y.

Last year Bellinger took 12 snaps as a fullback. He also lined up for 61 snaps on the offensive line and played 102 snaps from the slot. And as a blocker, he finished with a respectable 61.3 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Never one to be satisfied, Bellinger went to work this off-season to add more strength and muscle to his frame, which should help him survive even more so in the trenches.

“Being physically strong is obviously important to the game, but for me, it was more or less being in shape so I can be at the top of my game longer throughout a game," he told Giants Country.

"I feel like I’ve done a good job of that, and most of that lean muscle that I gained was through a healthier diet. So, working in the offseason, a healthier diet helped a lot.”

A healthier diet wasn’t the only thing that helped Bellinger get into great shape. His daily workout routine sometimes lasted as much as five hours per day.

The Giants are excited about Bellinger’s approach to his second year. Bellinger, meanwhile, is excited to be playing alongside Waller in the offense, even if it potentially means fewer pass-catching opportunities for him.

“What Darren does opens up for everybody, not just in the tight end room, but in the receiving room, and it opens up everything all together," he said. "So, I wouldn’t say I think about the targets or the passes or whatever that is. I think of it as what’s going to help the team the best and put us in the best position to win. I think Darren does a great job for us and myself.”

Bellinger figures to get his opportunities. And when he does, he'll be ready to take advantage of them. Last season he was one of the most reliable targets on the Giants last year, boasting a catch rate of 85.7 percent, the second-best mark on the team.

Now in Year 2 of the same offensive system, Bellinger believes he'll be better able to contribute for quarterback Daniel Jones thanks to their mutual growing confidence in each other.

“That’s exactly it," Bellinger said. "His confidence and my confidence have both grown. We’re both more comfortable with the playbook, especially him; he has to know everything.

"So I think he’s done a really good job of just getting guys in the offseason and going through plays and concepts and getting to know his players not just on the field but outside the field, and that’s big to having chemistry on the field. So, yeah, his confidence has been growing and has become more comfortable throughout training camp.”

At the end of the day, whether he gets ten pass targets or none, Bellinger has one goal on his radar.

“Just win," he said. "That’s the biggest goal for me, and probably the whole tight end room.”

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