Giants Country

New York Giants TE Daniel Bellinger: The Good, The Great, and The Ugly

We look at Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger's performance against the Eagles in their first 2023 match-up.

Gene Clemons

November 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) runs the football against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs (39) during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
November 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger (82) runs the football against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs (39) during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Giants have invested a lot in the tight end position over the last three offseasons, starting with the selection of Daniel Bellinger in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of San Diego State.

The 6-5, 250-pound talent found success during his rookie season as a pass catcher hauling in 30 passes for 268 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Despite the addition of Darren Waller to the roster in 2023, Bellinger still caught 25 passes for 255 yards and increased his average yards per reception by well over a yard. 

Bellinger has everything to become a high-level, well-rounded tight end in the NFL. His prototypical size helps him be a big target to locate on the field and gives him a bigger catch radius. 

That should aid him as a blocker, and, in some aspects, he has been good, but in others, he has definitely struggled. As he begins his third season with no more Waller in his way, Bellinger is definitely TE1, with this year’s fourth-round pick Theo Johnson hoping to nip at his heels. 

Since this film study is about Bellinger, we chose his performance in the Giants’ first contest against the Eagles last season to assess all those things that have us excited about Bellinger as the TE1 versus those deficiencies that worry us.  

The Good: Perimeter Blocking

When you are 6-5'' and 250 pounds, you should have a decided advantage over much smaller defensive backs.

As a blocker on the perimeter, Bellinger serves as an effective roadblock between the ball carrier and the smaller attacking defensive backs. He can cover up the defensive back to keep them away from the receiver or slide his feet like a basketball player. 

In addition to his size, he is usually stronger than the defensive backs so he can win the one-on-one matchups. He takes great angles and places himself in a good position to make the easy block. There were a couple of plays against the Eagles where he was the point-of-attack block on a quick screen.

The Great: Pass Catching

Bellinger’s pass-catching has been a pleasant surprise during his first two seasons. He has proven to be a much better pass receiver in the NFL than many projected. 

He is a big target for the quarterback, and his long arms give him a bigger catch radius. He does well catching the ball in traffic with bodies around him. He contorts his body well to catch passes and has the physique that allows him to take hits and keep going forward. 

He has also improved his route running and his ability to run after the catch. In the Philly game, he was able to work the shallow perimeter or intermediate middle very well. 

The Ugly: Run Blocking

At San Diego State, Bellinger was known for his blocking ability, the concern when he was drafted was whether he would develop as a pass receiver.

So it is somewhat surprising to see his pass-receiving developing but his run-blocking struggling. There is no reason that Bellinger can't be an elite run blocker, as he has the size and the athleticism to get the job done. 

The issue seems to be his ability to be aggressive. He does not hit first; he instead leans on defenders or lunges for defenders, and sometimes, it looks like he is not giving full effort. 

This is evident throughout the film against Philadelphia, where he is getting pushed back by defenders. He also misses blocks, does not hustle for blocks, or blocks the wrong person. 

Coach’s Counsel

Bellinger has to look at himself in the mirror and decide what he wants his NFL career to be. He can be a guy who lasts for up to a decade for the Giants, or he can bounce around from team to team every year or two as a TE2 or TE3. 

If he wants to be an unquestioned TE1 on this Giants team or any other, he has to become more locked in as a run blocker. It has to be a desire to be a good run blocker. 

This does not mean that he needs to sacrifice working on his receiving abilities. His improved run blocking will actually increase his abilities as a pass receiver in play action and beyond.

More "Good, Great and Ugly Film Reviews

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Gene Clemons
GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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