Giants sign TE Martellus Bennett to 1-year deal

Martellus Bennett thinks he can be one of the league's elite tight ends. He'll have one season to prove it to the Giants.

Bennett signed a one-year deal Wednesday worth a reported $2.5 million. It's rare for a player to settle for a one-year deal this early in free agency when blockbuster contracts are the norm, but Bennett said he is excited and eager for the opportunity to make himself a Giants mainstay.

"I don't think anyone's really seen who I am as a player and what I have to offer," he said, coming off four underutilized years in Dallas, where he had 85 catches for 846 yards and four touchdowns. "I don't want to say I have a lot to prove, but I have a long to-do list."

Bennett fills the most glaring need on the Giants' roster. They lost tight ends Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum to ACL tears in the Super Bowl. Bennett said he was watching that game and when he saw both players injured, he first realized that he might wind up as a Giant.

"In our situation it's a perfect match, because here we are with two guys that aren't going to be able to go," Tom Coughlin said of Bennett filling the void. "We get a guy with this quality and we can say to him, 'You go out on the field, you go from less than 30 percent playing time to 70, 75, 80 percent playing time just by virtue of if you come here, and if you are willing to pay the price to be what you want to be, here's the opportunity.' "

Bennett, 25, is 6-6, 265 pounds. Like many of the new tight ends in the league, he played basketball in college before devoting himself exclusively to football. Bennett said all he needs is a chance in order to play at the same level as the Saints' Jimmy Graham and the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski, and he thinks he'll get it with the Giants.

"He feels like he hasn't scratched the surface of what he can do," Coughlin said. "This could be a terrific move for both him and us."

SEE PHOTOSFeb. 5, 2012: Giants beat Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI

Added general manager Jerry Reese: "He's ready to go to work and wants to prove he can be one of the top tight ends in the NFL. We think the sky is the limit for him here."

Notes & quotes: The Giants have agreed to a one-year contract with backup QB David Carr, a free agent who had other opportunities for more money but decided to return to the Giants . . . T David Diehl restructured his contract to save the Giants $1.5 million against the salary cap in 2012. He has told reporters he'd be willing to move from left tackle to right tackle if asked . . . CB Aaron Ross, a free agent, has visits scheduled with the Bengals Thursday and the Redskins Friday . . . WR Mario Manningham, also a free agent, reportedly will meet with the 49ers Thursday . . . Former Giants TE Kevin Boss will meet with the Chiefs Thursday.