One of the most significant storylines for the NY Giants this summer has been veteran tight end Darren Waller, who hinted at retiring from the league earlier in the offseason after just one season with Big Blue. Losing the former Pro Bowl pass-catcher may affect the Giants' offense. Still, it will open the door for several offensive players to elevate their game and have a breakout campaign in 2024.
Waller's future with the G-Men remains uncertain, as he seems to be focusing on other aspects of his life this offseason. The 31-year-old TE has been actively pursuing his music career, a passion that has recently led him to release a new video. The song, a personal reflection on his divorce from Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum, has sparked a lot of conversation, further diverting attention from his football career.
As of late, the Giants expect that Waller will officially announce his retirement ahead of mandatory minicamp, where they will need an answer from the veteran tight end about his status for this upcoming season. Should Waller retire, these players will need to step their game up for the G-Men:
4. WR Wan'Dale Robinson
If there's one offensive player who should elevate their game in 2024, it is wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. Pro Football Focus recently chose one player from every team as an early breakout candidate for 2024 and selected the third-year wideout to represent the Giants. The 2022 second-round draft pick has shown glimpses of his potential, but has not had a true breakout campaign due to injuries and other setbacks since entering the league.
After tearing his ACL in his rookie season and missing the first two weeks of last season, Robinson returned as a more stable option, playing 15 games and leading the team in receptions with 60. He finished with at least five receptions in three of the last five games of the campaign.
Robinson also had a career-best 115 yards from scrimmage in the 24-22 win against the Packers in Week 14. The 23-year-old wideout is in line for a breakout campaign this year, especially with Waller not there to take targets away.
3. WR Jalin Hyatt
Everyone is expecting a breakout performance this year from wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. During his rookie campaign, the former Tennessee receiver showed flashes of what he could do as a deep threat; however, he never really had the opportunity to become a consistent weapon for the Giants' offense.
In 2023, Hyatt had 23 receptions on 40 targets, 373 yards, averaging 16.2 yards per reception, and zero touchdowns in 17 games with the Giants. This year, the expectation is that the 2023 third-round pick will take the next step and become one of the team's most dangerous deep threats and route runners.
Head coach Brian Daboll said Jalin Hyatt has made “tremendous improvement” from Year 1 to Year 2. Daboll said he’s pleased with the young receiver’s progress this offseason
— Matt Citak (@MattCitak) June 6, 2024
As a deep ball receiver, the offensive line should play a significant factor in Hyatt's performance this year. The offensive line plays an important role because it allows Hyatt more time to get downfield and it will give Daniel Jones more confidence.
The Giants upgraded their o-line this offseason with the additions of Jon Runyan Jr, Jermaine Eluemenor, and new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. That said, we can expect Hyatt to be targeted more in 2024 and play a crucial role for the Giants, especially with Waller no longer in the picture.
2. TE Daniel Bellinger
The Giants' starting tight end before trading for Waller was Daniel Bellinger, whom the team drafted in the fourth round in 2022. Despite several injuries throughout his rookie campaign, he finished the season with 30 receptions for 268 yards and three touchdowns in 12 appearances.
Last season, Bellinger had 25 receptions for 255 yards and zero touchdowns in 17 games played, and that was when Waller was on the Giants. If Bellinger can stay healthy, we can expect him to make a massive difference for this offense. He's reliable with his hands and he's a fantastic blocker.
The question will be whether or not Bellinger will be the team's starter come Week 1 after the Giants drafted Penn State tight end Theo Johnson in this year's draft. We can expect the competition between Bellinger and Johnson to be one of the most significant storylines throughout training camp. We expect both to battle it out all summer for the starting tight end position. Still, we can also expect both to have big roles for this team moving forward.
1. TE Theo Johnson
One of the things Giants general manager Joe Schoen prioritized this offseason was addressing the tight end position. The Giants are bringing back Bellinger and veteran Lawrence Cager, while they signed free agents Jack Stoll and Chris Manhertz to one-year deals. However, the most significant move was drafting Johnson at No. 107 overall in this year's NFL Draft.
The team has been preparing for Waller's retirement for months and adding Johnson has been fantastic insurance. Johnson was a highly-touted prospect as a three-year starter in college. He has excellent size and athletic ability and performed well the last two seasons, which is why he was the fifth tight end off the board this year. Last year, as a junior with the Nittany Lions, he had 34 receptions, 341 yards, and seven touchdowns in 13 games.
With the additions of Johnson, Stoll, and Manhertz, plus the Giants bringing back Bellinger and Cager, the team has plenty of depth at TE. Big Blue should be able to function without Waller going forward, and fans have already moved on. As a collective, the Giants should be better off without Waller because they'll be saving money (more than $11 million in cap space) and could have several offensive players have breakout campaigns this year as well.