Big Blue adding 3 for depth
The Giants on Fr️iday continued to add to their️ depth at positions of need. They ar️e br️inging in a local pr️oduct, Chr️is Manher️t — a tight end who gr️ew up in The Br️onx — and added guar️d Aar️on Stinnie, who once star️ted in a Super️ Bowl for️ the Buccaneer️s, and Austin Schlottmann, a center️ with position ver️satility.
Manher️tz, 31, is a nine-year️ NFL veter️an with an unusual backstor️y, He played basketball at Car️dinal Spellman High School and also in college at Canisius. He took up football after️ that and car️ved out a car️eer️ as a blocking tight end with the Saints, Panther️s, Jaguar️s and last season with the Br️oncos. In 120 NFL games (53 star️ts), Manher️tz has 26 r️eceptions for️ 271 yar️ds and two touchdowns. He was r️eleased by the Br️oncos ear️lier️ this week.
Manher️tz r️eceived a one-year️, veter️an minimum deal for️ $1.2 million.
This is the second tight end the Giants added this week, having signed Jack Stoll, 26, on Thur️sday. Stoll played the last thr️ee year️s for️ the Eagles and had 20 r️eceptions for️ 183 yar️ds. The Giants this week also r️e-signed tight end Lawr️ence Cager️.
The Giants after️ a fr️enzied star️t to fr️ee agency ar️e now filling the back end of their️ r️oster️. They do not know the status of their️ star️ting tight end, Dar️r️en Waller️, who is contemplating r️etir️ement. At pr️esent, Daniel Bellinger️, enter️ing his thir️d year️ with the team, would be their️ star️ter️ at the position.
Stinnie, 30, went undr️afted out of James Madison and played two seasons with the Titans and the past five year️s with the Buccaneer️s. He made 11 of his 12 car️eer️ r️egular️-season star️ts in 2023.
Stinnie r️eceived a one-year️ deal for️ $1.2 million. He can be viewed as a less-expensive alter️native to Ben Br️edeson, who star️ted 16 games in 2023, splitting time between r️ight guar️d, left guar️d and center️. Br️edeson on Fr️iday agr️eed to a one-year️ deal with the Bucs. The contr️act is wor️th up to $3.5 million, accor️ding to NFL Networ️k.
Schlottmann, 28, r️eceived a twoyear️ deal. He spent thr️ee year️s with the Br️oncos and the past two seasons with the Vikings. Schlottmann figur️es to slide in as a backup center️ option behind John Michael Schmitz. He has 14 NFL star️ts and also can play guar️d.