Giants add Theo Johnson to murky TE room

The Giants selected Penn State TE Theo Johnson in Round 4 of the NFL Draft. A converted WR, Johnson spent four years with the Nittany Lions – two as a full-time starter. Career-best numbers surfaced as a senior, but he wasn’t a major performer (34-341-7). He accounted for 13.8% of the team’s catches, 12.2% of the receiving yards, and 20.3% of the receiving TDs. He managed just 1.26 yards per route run -- down from the 1.58 figure he tallied as a junior. The real promise here lies in Johnson’s athletic gifts, which helped him to play all over the formation (47.9% inline, 38.8% slot, 9.8% wide). At 6’6, 259 pounds, he’s simply a rare athlete. Look no further than his Combine performance, which included a 4.57 forty, a 39.5-inch vertical, a 125-inch broad jump, and a 4.19 shuttle. Altogether, Johnson posted a historic 9.99 Relative Athletic Score. Now, his game needs refinement – most notably in his route running. Johnson also found himself in two off-field incidents that led to misdemeanors. He joins a Giants team that’s still waiting to hear whether TE Darren Waller will continue his football career. If not, TE Daniel Bellinger would stand as Johnson’s top competition for snaps. That’d give the rookie an outside shot at 2024 fantasy value – although he’s more of a dynasty bench stash.