Dane Belton has been unable to secure a full-time starting role in the secondary during four seasons with the New York Giants. Belton, though, has done a couple of things which have made him valuable. He has become an outstanding special teams player, and when he is on the field defensively he has shown an ability to make plays on the ball.
A fourth-round pick by GM Joe Schoen in the 2022 NFL Draft, Belton can now head to free agency. Let’s talk about whether the Giants should keep him or let him enter the market.
Reasons to keep Belton
New coach John Harbaugh is a former special teams coach, and he is serious about having quality special teams units. He brought special teams coach Chris Horton with him from the Baltimore Ravens, a team usually among the best in the league in special teams play.
Belton was a valuable special teams player his first three seasons, but catapulted to a new level in 2025. He had 19 special teams tackles, tying him for 10th in the league, after totaling 11 tackles in his first three seasons.
Belton has limitations that have prevented him from earning a full-time role at safety. He is, though, a versatile and athletic backup with a talent for making plays on the ball when he finds himself around it.
Belton has six career interceptions, 16 passes defenses, four forced fumbles (three in 2025), and four fumble recoveries in his career.
Reasons to let Belton go
Preference and cost. If Harbaugh, Horton, and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson don’t like what they see and want to move on, so be it. If the Giants think two years and slightly more than $12 million, Belton’s estimated Spotrac market value is too much, so be it.
Verdict
Keep him.
Belton is an excellent special teams player and useful backup defender. Players like that have value. Two years, $12.4 million ($6.2 million per year) does not seem out of line for Belton’s skillset. If they lose him in free agency, the Giants will be looking to find someone else who can do what he already does.
