Theo Johnson Reveals First Impression of Giants' New Quarterback

The New York Giants’ 2024 rookie class was the biggest win of the team’s season and general manager Joe Schoen’s tenure. Of that group, tight end Theo Johnson may have been the most underwhelming.

He quickly usurped veteran Daniel Bellinger for the starting role and was tasked with replacing Darren Waller, who retired in the offseason after one year with the Giants.

Like much of the offense, Johnson’s production was stymied by poor quarterback play. There wasn’t much room for him in the passing game with receivers Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson absorbing ludicrous target shares. His inexperience and raw skill set only added to those struggles.

With veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in the building, New York has its starter under center, no matter who Schoen drafts on Thursday. That should elevate the floor of the offense, provide some stability, and give fans a more accurate look at the team’s targets.

On Monday, Johnson revealed his first impression of the Giants’ new quarterback.

“Yeah, I'm super excited to work with him,” Johnson said. “You know, the little bit that we've worked together, I think he's going to be not only great for our offense, but for our team. Just the energy and the enthusiasm he brings every day with everything that he does, and just the leadership he's going to bring and the experience, I think it's going to be super valuable for our offense.

“We've got a young offense, a young skill unit, so I think it's going to be super valuable for us. I'm super excited to see what we can do with him throwing us the balls this year.”

Johnson was targeted just 43 times in 12 games, good for 29 catches, 331 yards, and a touchdown. His season was cut short by a Lisfranc injury. Johnson noted that he’s taking his recovery day by day, but he feels “really good right now.”

He’ll enter his second season as the starting tight end, barring a surprise addition on Thursday or early Friday night. As a size/speed/strength threat who can threaten the seam, Wilson’s aggressive tendencies fit nicely, laying the foundation for a jump in Year 2.

“From the very first interaction with him, you could tell the guy knows a lot of ball, and the biggest take-away for me was just his passion. He loves football and every aspect of the game, which is infectious and something that he's going to infect in our locker room just his love and his passion for the game.”