Giants Claim ‘Intriguing’ 24-Year-Old, Recent Third Rounder off Waivers: Report

The New York Giants have a new tight end, as both NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero and NorthJersey.com beat reporter Art Stapleton confirmed that former Denver Broncos 2022 third-round pick Greg Dulcich has been awarded to the G-Men off waivers.

“Giants have claimed TE Greg Dulcich, source confirms,” Stapleton relayed on November 26. He also called him an “intriguing player with [a] unique profile,” noting that “injuries have held [Dulcich] back to begin his pro career in Denver.”

Nathaniel Hackett was Broncos head coach when Denver selected Dulcich, and his rookie campaign was very promising before the regime change to Sean Payton.

“Dulcich had 33 catches for 411 yards as a rookie in 2022. He has eight catches for 53 yards in six games over the past two seasons,” The Athletic’s Dan Duggan informed just after the news, properly illustrating that point.

“[Dulcich] only appeared in two games last season due to a hamstring injury and was mostly a healthy scratch this season,” Duggan continued. “The 24-year-old is signed through 2025 with a $1.4M cap hit next season.”

Needless to say, this is a great buy-low flyer for the Giants, who currently start rookie Theo Johnson at tight end after losing Darren Waller to retirement this summer.

New Giants Tight End Greg Dulcich Is More of a Pass-Catcher Than a Blocker

As Duggan alluded, Dulcich fell out of favor in Denver after Payton took over the organization. The long-time New Orleans Saints head coach preferred a starting tight end with more blocking prowess and that’s not really Dulcich’s specialty.

In 2022, NFL Network draft scout Lance Zierlein described Dulcich as a “move tight end with some vertical talent who can’t be expected to add much as an in-line blocker.”

“Dulcich is a long-legged, duck-footed runner who is faster than he looks, averaging 17.6 yards per catch for his career,” Zierlein went on at the time. “He can improve as a route-runner but might have three-level potential as a pass-catcher. He’s [also] urgent and determined, adding extra yardage after the catch.”

Over his first three NFL seasons, Dulcich has definitely fit that description on the field.

Assuming general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are running the organization in 2025, Dulcich adds what they’ve been searching for at tight end. This regime has consistently targeted pass-catchers and playmakers — Waller, Johnson, Lawrence Cager — at the position to pair with more of a true blocker like Daniel Bellinger or Chris Manhertz.

Dulcich has the talent to provide real competition for Johnson, who has flashed as a rookie despite a concerning propensity for dropped passes.

Giants Must Continue to Scour the NFL for Young Talent

The Giants have been rebuilding for a while now, but after moving on from quarterback Daniel Jones, the roster overhaul is somewhere over 90% complete — and there’s no reason to part ways with certain Dave Gettleman prospects like Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas.

Point is, this is truly Schoen and Daboll’s roster now and although the results have been ugly, it’s possible that president and CEO John Mara offers them one more opportunity with a QB of their choosing. In the meantime, Schoen and Daboll must do everything in their power to scour the NFL for more young talent.

Dulcich is the perfect example of that, and this should be viewed as a quality waiver claim for Big Blue — no matter who’s running the team next spring.