Giants Re-sign Tight End Chris Manhertz

With just a few hours to go before the start of the NFL’s legal “tampering free-agency period,” the New York Giants have re-signed tight end Chris Manhertz. 

Terms of the deal weren’t immediately available, but it’s believed to be for one year, based on the prior two contracts the 34-year-old tight end signed with Big Blue.

Manhertz’s value to the Giants' offense often went unnoticed by the casual observer, but there is definitely enough to justify another year with the club.

In 209 offensive snaps, Manhertz, primarily a blocking tight end, executed his role well.

Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed just one pressure in pass blocking last year, his lowest total since 2018 when, as a member of the Panthers, he didn’t surrender a single pressure in 345 snaps.

Manhertz was also consistent when it came to run blocking, posting a 69.9 PFF grade in that department as a result of his constant ability to handle bigger and more physical defenders.

He’s also been durable. In his two prior seasons with the Giants, Manhertz has not missed a game. That’s 34 appearances with 14 starts over two years, where, as a receiver, he’s caught four of six pass targets for 37 yards and one touchdown.

Manhertz was also highly regarded among his peers as a locker room leader for his experience, even though he was never voted a captain or took center stage. Still, several of his teammates spoke of his leadership to the New York Giants in an SI article at the end of the 2025 season.

How does Manhertz’s return impact Daniel Bellinger’s future with the team?

The return of Manhertz leaves tight end Daniel Bellinger's future with the team even cloudier. Bellinger told the New York Giants On SI at the end of the 2025 season that he’d be open to returning, but it’s also expected that he will have a market for his services.

However, head coach John Harbaugh’s teams have long featured a pure fullback, a role that, while Bellinger, the Giants’ fourth-round pick in 2022 out of San Diego State, has experience playing, is not his primary position.

Bellinger said he’d love to be someone’s TE1, and with a strong market for his services early on, he could get that opportunity elsewhere.

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