The Giants’ first unofficial depth chart leaves little room for debate at tight end: Isaiah Likely is the No. 1 option, and Theo Johnson is listed behind him.
That ordering matters because New York did not hand Likely a three-year, $40 million deal with $26 million guaranteed to make him part of a 50-50 arrangement. His 2026 cap charge is just over $6 million, but the contract was never built like backup money. The team made its bet, and the depth chart now reflects it.
Likely brings a clearer separation element and more familiarity with John Harbaugh’s offense, which should help Jaxson Dart have a tight end who can challenge safeties from different spots. Last season, Likely caught 27 passes for 307 yards and one touchdown. Over four seasons in Baltimore, he totaled 135 receptions, 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns.
That said, Johnson is not disappearing. He earned his own role with a 2025 season that included 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs. He remains one of the stronger young red-zone targets on the roster.
The Giants can still lean on both players. Two-tight-end looks should be part of the offense, with Likely moving into the slot or across the formation and Johnson doing more of the traditional in-line work. Harbaugh does not have to pick one and sit the other.
But the pecking order is the pecking order. Likely should be the one getting the designed touches, the third-down routes and the chances to work a linebacker in space. Johnson now has to show he can stay close enough in the target share to keep this from becoming a true gap.
New York is also betting that Likely’s numbers were suppressed in Baltimore because he shared the passing game with Mark Andrews. His career best is 477 receiving yards, so the Giants are asking him to do more than play the role of a useful secondary piece.
That is the real assignment in Year 1. Being first on the depth chart is the easy part. Turning that into 700-plus yards and dependable third-down production is what will make the deal pay off.
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