The New York Giants will be seeking to beef up their tight end group this offseason and luckily for them, there are plenty of options to choose from.
In the draft, this year’s class is very strong with as many as six possibly going in the first two nights.
Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer, Darnell Washington of Georgia, Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, Dalton Kincaid of Utah, Cameron Latu of Alabama, and Tucker Kraft of South Dakota State could all hear their names called early in the draft. Iowa’s Sam Laporta and Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker could also be snatched up early as well.
The Giants’ current depth chart tight end reads Daniel Bellinger, Nick Vannett and Lawrence Cager, and they will be seeking a player to partner with Bellinger, who is seen as an ascending player.
They could turn to free agency as well. Some Giants beat writers, including ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, are banging the name of Minnesota’s Irv Smith Jr.
There has been talk about supplementing the receiving corps with a pass-catching tight end to work alongside Daniel Bellinger. A player like former second-round pick Irv Smith Jr. from the Minnesota Vikings is someone to watch. Miami Dolphins free agent tight end Mike Gesicki is also an intriguing option.
Smith is a former second-round pick out of Alabama who has played just 37 games in his four years with the Vikings due to injuries. He has a connection to this coaching staff as Brian Daboll was the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator in 2017, Smith’s sophomore season.
Smith will undoubtedly be affordable because of his injury history and inconsistency, so he’ll have a market but his size (6’2″, 240) is less than ideal for a running team such as the Giants.
The free agent class offers many more attractive options should the Giants want to bid up. Miami’s Mike Gesecki, Dallas’ Dalton Schultz, Austin Hooper, Robert Tonyan of Green Bay, and Hayden Hurst are all hitting the market this week.
