Daniel Bellinger’s time with the New York Giants has been something of a riddle - flashes of promise, moments of big-play potential, but never quite the featured role you might expect from a player who made an early impact.
Drafted in the fourth round back in 2022, Bellinger hit the ground running as a rookie. He was targeted 35 times and hauled in 30 of them, including two touchdowns - a solid debut for a young tight end learning the ropes in a demanding New York market. But since then, his role has shifted, and not always in ways that made sense on paper.
In 2023, the Giants brought in veteran Darren Waller, and Bellinger was pushed into the background. It wasn’t until Waller went down - as many expected he eventually might - that Bellinger got more involved. He still managed 25 receptions that year, but the sense was clear: he wasn’t the focal point of the offense.
Fast forward to 2024 and 2025, and Bellinger found himself playing behind another fourth-round pick, this time Theo Johnson. Over those two seasons, Bellinger’s production dipped - just 14 catches in 2024 and 19 this past year.
But even in a reduced role, he found ways to make his mark. The 2025 season featured the two longest receptions of his career - a 44-yarder and a 29-yard grab, the latter coming in Week 18 against the Cowboys.
That play in particular was a reminder: Bellinger has more athleticism than he’s often given credit for.
Through it all, Bellinger has kept his head down and done the work. No public complaints, no frustration aired. Just a team-first mindset in a league that doesn’t always reward patience.
“I think every opportunity they gave me, I made the most of it,” Bellinger said. “Was it perfect?
Was it clean 100 percent of the time? No.
But at the end of the day, I just wanted to help us win.”
That mindset might not grab headlines, but it matters - especially for teams looking to build strong locker rooms and dependable depth. And while the Giants haven’t done much winning over the past three seasons, Bellinger has stayed consistent in his approach, even as his role fluctuated.
Now, with his rookie contract expiring and the Giants heading into an offseason of change - including a new coaching staff - Bellinger enters free agency for the first time. He doesn’t know if he’ll be back in New York, but he’s keeping all options open.
Giants GM Joe Schoen told Bellinger he still sees him as “part of the solution,” which the tight end appreciated. But he also knows how the business works.
“Ultimately, I don’t know,” Bellinger said. “It’s a business. We’ll see what happens in the next few months.”
What Bellinger does know is that he’s ready for more. He’s not shy about wanting a bigger role - and not just for the sake of personal stats. He wants to contribute in a way that helps a team win, whether that’s as a TE1, a TE2, or a special teams guy grinding it out on Sundays.
“Everybody wants to be number one in their position to succeed as much as they can. And, of course, that’s what I want,” Bellinger said.
“But my main goal in football from Little League to now and furthermore is just help a team win. If that is a tight end one role, that’s what I want.
But if I can help a team in a tight end two role or in special teams, whatever it takes to help a team win, I think is my biggest goal.”
That kind of versatility and team-first mindset is exactly what coaches look for in a free agent. And while Bellinger’s numbers might not leap off the page, his ability to stay ready, step up when called upon, and contribute in multiple phases of the game could make him a valuable asset for a team in need of depth and reliability at the tight end position.
As for what comes next, Bellinger is embracing the unknown.
“I’ve never gone through it,” he said of free agency. “I’ve talked to a bunch of guys that have gone through the free agency process and all that, so I’m excited and just ready to see what happens next.”
Wherever he lands, Bellinger brings with him experience, humility, and the kind of quiet competitiveness that doesn’t always show up in the box score - but matters just as much when the games start to count.