The Giants head into Sunday’s opener against the Cowboys with a receiver situation that leaves little room for comfort, and that puts Theo Johnson in the spotlight whether anyone planned for it or not.
Malik Nabers remains in question, even after the team moved on from veteran wideout Darius Slayton on Monday. That leaves New York with only three active receivers - Odell Beckham Jr., Darnell Mooney, and rookie Malachi Fields - plus four more on the practice squad. Of that group, Mooney is the only one who caught a pass last year, and he did not make much of an impression in offseason work or during the preseason.
For Johnson, that creates a real opening. The third-year tight end out of Penn State is coming off a sophomore season that never got enough attention, but the production was there.
Excluding the running backs, Nabers and Johnson are the only active Giants who caught a pass from Dart last year. Johnson finished with 45 catches, which trailed only Wan’Dale Robinson, and his 528 receiving yards ranked third on the team behind Robinson and Slayton.
He also led the Giants with five receiving touchdowns, and every one of them came from Dart. That built-in chemistry could matter immediately on Sunday night, especially with uncertainty around Nabers and more questions than answers in the backfield. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had 36 catches last year, but he has seemingly fallen out of favor with the new coaching staff.
Harbaugh backed the decision to release Slayton on Wednesday, which did not come as a huge surprise since Slayton had become a possible game-day scratch. Still, it was odd that by Thursday morning the Giants had not added another proven receiver to either the 53-man roster or the practice squad. And by proven, this means someone with real game experience, not just another fringe roster or practice squad name.
That is where Matt Nagy’s background as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator may end up helping the Giants. Travis Kelce was - and remains - Patrick Mahomes’ top target, and Kansas City had trouble finding a steady No. 1 receiver after the Tyreek Hill trade. Backup tight end Noah Gray filled a useful role in that offense, averaging 30 catches and 307 yards over his three seasons under Nagy.
No one is claiming Dart and Likely are the next Mahomes and Kelce. But Dart does like throwing to his tight ends, and Johnson has already shown enough to deserve more chances.
It may not be the most exciting answer for Giants fans, but right now it is the one in front of them.
In Other News...
Former Giants RB At Center Of Sickening Off-Field Case
LeShon Johnson, a former NFL running back, has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine after being convicted on six felony counts tied to an illegal dogfighting operation. The case has drawn attention not just because of Johnsons football past, but because of the scale of the cruelty investigators uncovered in a federal case that exposed the possession, sale and trafficking of animals used for fighting.
Johnson surrendered 190 dogs after his arrest, the largest number ever seized from one person in a federal dogfighting case. It is a grim reminder of how far removed some post-NFL stories can be from the game itself, and why cases like this continue to land hard for anyone who remembers him as a player long before the courtroom details came into view. [Read more 🡒]
Odell Beckham Jr. Suddenly Carries More Weight In Giants Opener
Odell Beckham Jr. has gone from a late-summer addition to a real part of the Giants Week 1 picture, earning a place on the final 53-man roster and positioning himself for a role against the Cowboys. With Darius Slayton released and Malik Nabers still working his way back from injury recovery, the receiver room has thinned enough that Beckham is no longer just a nostalgic name on the depth chart. He is expected to open the season as the fourth receiver, which puts him in line for meaningful snaps right away.
For a team trying to settle its offense before the opener, Beckhams presence matters beyond the usual headlines. The Giants are not only counting on him for production, but also for the kind of veteran steadiness that can help a group with limited bodies at the position. What his workload looks like Sunday will say a lot about how quickly the Giants are willing to lean on him, and how much they may need him if the receiver situation remains tight. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Put Immediate Pressure On Isaiah Likely In Jaxson Dart Debut
The Giants spent the offseason trying to give Jaxson Dart a reliable option in the passing game, and Isaiah Likely arrives with both a fresh contract and a clear opportunity. Signed to a three-year, $40 million deal after his run with the Ravens, Likely steps into a receiver room that has been thinned by recent releases and injuries, which only increases the value of a player who can help in multiple spots.
Likely is expected to be more than a traditional tight end in Week 1, working as a primary target at tight end and in the slot as the Giants ease Dart into his first start. His versatility and familiarity with coach John Harbaugh's system give the staff a level of comfort, and with the offense looking for dependable answers right away, his role could become one of the more important storylines as the opener unfolds. [Read more 🡒]