Giants Rookie Earns Attention at OTAs: ‘Clear Path’ to Starting Job

The New York Giants practiced once again on June 4 amid Organized Team Activities (OTAs), and fourth-round tight end Theo Johnson caught the attention of NYG team reporter Matt Citak.

“At the start of 11-on-11 drills, Tommy DeVito hit Theo Johnson for what would have been a first down,” Citak relayed. Continuing: “Speaking of Johnson, the rookie tight end made several impressive catches on Tuesday, including one in a tight window for what would have been a first down. Later in practice, Johnson caught a pass from Drew Lock up the seam for a 20+ yard gain.”

It’s not the first time the rookie TE has turned heads this spring with projected starter Darren Waller mulling retirement.

In fact, Pro Football Network analyst Anthony DiBona believes Johnson — not Daniel Bellinger or Jack Stoll, among others — could be the immediate beneficiary if Waller calls it quits.

“Theo Johnson now has a clear path to becoming TE1 in New York as a rookie,” DiBona stated on June 3 after the news that Waller is “expected” to retire. He added that “unless the Giants are really high on Daniel Bellinger, Johnson is their most talented TE.”

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Theo Johnson Could Develop Into What Darren Waller Was Supposed to Be With Giants

When the Giants traded for Waller last offseason, the organization probably didn’t expect one subpar campaign and then a long, drawn-out decision on retirement. But here we are.

The best NFL franchises pivot when things go off the rails, and it appears the Giants have done a good job of that with the Johnson selection.

For starters, the Penn State product is a virtual Waller clone in terms of physical stature. Both are listed at 6-foot-6, with the rookie actually getting roughly 25 pounds on the veteran.

Johnson is also a pass-catcher at heart, so he could theoretically step into the Waller role as DiBona suggested. Leaving Bellinger to remain as the primary in-line tight end.

The final similarity between the two tight ends is their athleticism. Pro Football Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema called Johnson the “best player fit” at his position on May 14.

“I am excited to see how the Giants utilize fourth-round rookie tight end Theo Johnson,” Sikkema wrote at the time. “The 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end ranked in the 90th percentile in basically every category – 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump. He is a very impressive athlete for his size and position.”

Rookie tight ends tend to take longer to develop than other positions, but Johnson has gotten off to a strong start at OTAs by all reports. And while it might not be wise to raise expectations too high, the youngster could be forced into action sooner than expected if Waller does indeed hang up the cleats.

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Giants TE Coach Tim Kelly Praises Theo Johnson for Being Prepared Early On

While Johnson has already made plenty of grabs on the practice field, the coaching staff has been more impressed by his efforts in the classroom.

“Really the first thing [that stands out] — and it’s probably not even on the field yet — is just the way he’s prepared,” new Giants tight ends coach Tim Kelly told reporters regarding Johnson.

“He’s wired the right way in terms of being able to come out here and learn, and not get overwhelmed,” the assistant went on. “[Johnson] is diligent in his preparation, and then when you see him in person, like he’s a big joker, he’s big. [So], just his attention to detail and the way that he’s working has been great.”

It’ll be interesting to see how Johnson compares with Bellinger and the rest of the veteran TE room during training camp.

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