When the Giants drafted Daniel Bellinger out of San Diego State in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, he was considered a developmental prospect who still had a lot to work on, but had the potential to blossom into a starting NFL tight end.

But whether it was because of the scheme not heavily featuring tight ends or perhaps due to his own limitations, Bellinger ended up becoming a starter as a rookie, but he was never really the true receiving option that the Giants hoped he could become. Instead, Bellinger has been more involved as a blocker in the run game than a reliable target for Giants quarterbacks.

Should the Giants bring him back?

Let's discuss...

WHY BELLINGER SHOULD STAY

Bellinger fits the prototype for what a second tight end in today's NFL should be: a reliable blocker and someone who can make a play with the ball every once in a while. While it's hard to say exactly what John Harbaugh's offensive scheme will look like in New York (given that he hasn't yet hired an offensive coordinator), it's likely to heavily feature the running game, as it did in Baltimore. Having an unselfish blocker like Bellinger could be a plus moving forward.

Bellinger has also shown flashes of taking the next step as a receiver. While he had just 19 catches in 2025, Bellinger had a career-best 88-yard performance against Denver in Week 7 that included a touchdown. Between Darren Waller and Theo Johnson, the Giants have had more explosive pass-catching tight ends ahead of Bellinger on the depth chart, but it would be interesting to see if he'd be able to take on a bigger role in the offense under a new head coach and coordinator.

Another reason to keep Bellinger around is that he likely won't garner a big contract. The Giants wouldn't need to break the bank to keep a solid blocker.

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