The New York Giants are preparing to trim their roster down ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline. In the wake of the preseason, the Giants are trying to find room on their roster for several players who made strides this summer.
However, some roster spots will be given out at the expense of tenured players who have otherwise seemingly earned their keep. One formerly highly thought-of draft pick might be on the chopping block.
Daniel Bellinger could be the odd man out
2022 fourth-round pick Daniel Bellinger could be on the chopping block. The 24-year-old missed time this summer due to injuries, while other rostered tight ends stood out for the Giants.
Bellinger was once believed to be a building block for the Giants after an impressive rookie season that saw him reach the end zone three times and total 268 receiving yards across 12 games.
However, an injury derailed his rookie season, then the acquisition of TE Darren Waller in the 2023 offseason relegated Bellinger to a backup role, and then the acquisition of rookie Theo Johnson in 2024 kept him there.
Now, Bellinger is entering the final year of his rookie contract, set to have a $3.6 million cap hit — a total higher than the cap hits of Johnson, Greg Dulcich, and Thomas Fidone II combined.
A team’s highest-paid tight end should not be its least productive tight end. For that reason, the Giants need to consider taking the cap relief that they would receive by cutting Bellinger.
Giants would get cap relief by cutting Bellinger
Releasing Bellinger would grant the Giants $3.4 million in cap savings, per Over The Cap.
That is not a number to balk at. That $3.4 million would nearly double the Giants’ total cap space at this moment in time.
The Giants currently have only $3.95 million in cap space, the second-least in the league.
They should explore whatever avenues they can to find cap relief. And, at this point, releasing a backup tight end to add $3.4 million in cap space might be a proposition too good to pass up.