The Key Role Giants TE Theo Johnson Will Have in the Team's New Offense

Isaiah Likely's arrival may cut into Theo Johnson's pass targets, but Johnson is still expected to have a significant role on offense this year.

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Giants have a lot of questions to answer this summer when training camp kicks off down at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, starting July 28.

In this installment of our daily countdown to camp, we look at what potential role third-year tight end Theo Johnson might have in the offense now that the team has added tight end Isaiah Likely to the mix.  

A fourth-round draft pick in 2024, Johnson will still see a lot of action in the two-tight-end sets with Likely, but what will be worth watching is if Johnson sees any kind of reduction in his receiving targets now that Likely is on board.

Johnson actually saw an increase in pass targets from his rookie season, when he had 43 balls thrown his way in an injury-shortened season, to last year, when that number swelled to 74. With that, he also saw an increase in his yardage and touchdowns.

But worth noting is that, despite the increase in pass targets, Johnson saw his reception percentage drop from 67.4% as a rookie to 60.8% last year.  

He also saw a significant drop in his receiving success rate (defined as gaining at least 40% of the required yards on first down, 60% on second down, and 100% on third and fourth down).

Johnson, who posted a 51.2% receiving success rate as a rookie, only managed a 40.5% rate last season. And one can’t forget the issue with dropped passes that has plagued Johnson, either, as he’s had 10 drops over two seasons that haven’t helped matters.

A Red Zone Threat

Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) and quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) react to a touchdown against New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Johnson has been a favorite target of quarterback Jaxson Dart’s, the tight end seeing the second-most pass targets (59) behind now-former receiver Wan’Dale Robinson from Weeks 5 onward following the season-ending injury to Malik Nabers in Week 4.

Despite the numbers that have shown some decline in his production from Year 1 to Year 2, the former Penn State tight end is not expected to simply disappear from the receiving game or be reduced to just an inline blocker.

Johnson is still an intriguing option in the red zone and when running up the seam, two roles he will probably continue to hold in the team’s new offense.

Last year, Johnson caught six of 13 red zone pass targets for 38 yards and four of his six receiving touchdowns. And his 6-foot-6 height makes him a mismatch against most linebackers and defensive backs when he’s sent up the seam in search of the big play.  

The bottom line is that while Johnson is probably not going to be the primary pass target among the tight ends, a more focused role that plays into his strength should result in increased production as the Giants look to get their new offense into the top 10 league-wide in 2026.

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