New York Giants 2025 Training Camp Preview: S Dane Belton

Belton has become a reliable depth safety and special teamer going into a contract year.

New York Giants safety Dane Belton (24) celebrates after catching an interception during a game between New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants drafted Dane Belton in the fourth round of the 2022 draft to bolster their depth at safety, and so far, through his first three seasons in New York, he has done just that. 

He has held the team down as a starter and been ready to come into the game if he was needed off the bench. He has consistently demonstrated tackling ability and ball skills when his number has been called, and just like in college, he has a knack for making big, timely plays when the team needs them. 

Over his first three years in the league, Belton has been the poster child for an old saying about ability, ‘The best ability is availability.’ He has been ready for duty every week. He has suited up for 49 of a possible 50 games for the Giants. He has started in 13 games during that time. 

Belton blurs the lines between safety spots. He's probably best suited to play that traditional strong safety role, playing mostly at the intermediate level or linebacker depth. 

However, he has shown that he can exist at the third level. The question for him is whether he could do it full-time. He has shown enough range to be a hash safety, and he has the ball skills to play that position, but that would not be the best utilization of his skills. 

Belton has five career interceptions and 11 passes defended. He has 120 total tackles, which includes 74 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. He also has four quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries. All of those are quality statistics for a guy who is not a full-time starter and plays a lot of special teams. 

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Dane Belton, S

• Height: 6-1
• Weight: 190  lbs.
• Exp.: 4 years
• School: Iowa
• How Acquired: D4-'22

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2024 in Review

The 2024 season was another solid one for Belton. His six starts were the most starts he has made in his three-year career. His previous high was five, which he made in 2022 during his rookie season. 

Last season, he had the opportunity to demonstrate that he can be a factor as a run defender, as well as continue his solid play in coverage. He made 56 tackles, which was 23 more than he made in 2023. Within those 56 were 28 solo tackles, which was also a career high. 

He had one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit, which was less than 2023, but it's not surprising when you consider the defensive coaching changes. He continued his two-turnover per season streak with an interception and a forced fumble. He also recovered a fumble. 

Last season also represented Belton's highest usage numbers of his career. It did not matter whether it was defense or special teams; Belton was on the field more than he had ever been in previous seasons. 

He played in 459 defensive snaps in 2024. That was 42% of the snaps, beating his previous high, which he set as a rookie. He also played in 344 snaps on special teams. That was 78% of the special teams snaps in 2024. 

Contract/Cap Info

In 2022, Dane Belton signed a four-year, $4.44 million contract with the New York Giants. This season is the final year of his contract, which has an average annual value of $1.11 million. 

It also came with a $784,000 signing bonus. In 2025, Bellinger will earn a base salary of $1.1 million while carrying a cap hit of $1.29 million and a dead cap value of $196,000. 

2025 Preview

Belton has established his worth as a special teamer over the past two seasons, so he will likely be relied on to fill a major role there again in 2025. The question becomes how he will be used defensively. 

Will he earn the starting job alongside Jevon Holland, or does Holland's presence represent the need to play better than what Belton supplied last season? 

Tyler Nubin is likely to be the guy next to Holland when the season starts, but based on how he performs, Belton could grab away snaps. 

If this is what happens, expect Belton to take even more snaps on special teams where he has earned the trust of the coaching staff, and it is likely going to be why he earns a second contract from the team. 

He should exist as a good backup option for either safety position. He will spell guys when they are tired or replace them when they are hurt. In Nubin's case, if he struggles in coverage, Belton will be there to jump in.  

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