They don't call it March Madness for nothing! The NFL legal tampering window is officially open, and we’ve already seen several moves around the league, including Alec Pierce staying with the Colts on a $116 million deal and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who the Giants had expressed interest in, heading to the Chiefs.
John Harbaugh has also wasted no time bringing in a couple of former Ravens to New York in tight end Isaiah Likely, a much-needed weapon for Jaxson Dart, and punter Jordan Stout, which pretty much added any speculation of Daniel Bellinger and Jamie Gillan coming back to the G-Men.
Speaking of players joining their former coaches on a new team, Daniel Bellinger, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Cor'Dale Flott are all now headed to Tennessee to reunite with former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, now the Titans' offensive coordinator. Many expected Wan'Dale to leave and the Titans to be a possible suitor; they were 50/50 on Flott, but I don't think anybody anticipated Belli heading to Tennessee and making as much as he did.
Giants TE Daniel Bellinger is reuniting with Brian Daboll in Tennessee
Cam Ward now has some weapons, with Wan’Dale joining the Titans’ offense a year after a breakout season in which he finished with over 1,000 yards. He earned a four-year, $78 million contract, which is definitely well-deserved, but certainly out of Big Blue’s price range, with Malik Nabers expected to return to full strength and return to his WR1 role.
Flott, who many thought would re-sign with Big Blue, myself included, signs with Tennessee for three years and $45 million, and they also add to their secondary with the addition of former Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor. The moves keep on coming for the Titans, and they don't seem to stop, but the Bellinger contract may be the most interesting.
Bellinger, on the other hand, signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Titans, which seems higher than what he was expected to earn. The G-Men agreed to terms with Likely for three years worth worth $40 million, with the potential to reach $47.5 million, but for the role he is expected to play, filling in for both Bellinger, it doesn’t seem like an overpay.
We know that Harbaugh likes using two tight ends. We saw it for years in Baltimore with Likely and Mark Andrews, and he’s going to play a big role in the pass-catching department. So, the move makes a ton of sense, especially at the value the G-Men are getting him for, but how does that compare to the role Bellinger is going to play on the Titans?
We know that Daboll loved both Wan’Dale and Bellinger to play significant roles, as they did for the Giants. In fact, Belli will likely be the backup to Chig Okonkwo, but sit right above Gunnar Helm on Tennessee’s depth chart. Who knows, a lot could change between now and training camp, and he may even have a chance to compete for the TE1 job as a veteran in a Daboll-led offense.
Unfortunately, Bellinger was not going to get this same opportunity with the Giants with the emergence of Johnson and now Likely entering the picture. So, congratulations to Wan’Dale, Flott, and Bellinger, and best of luck with the Titans. We’ll certainly be rooting for them from afar, as long as they remember, “Once a Giant, Always a Giant.”