It's been yet another disaster season for the New York Giants, but the season has come with a few silver linings. While the most promising of those is Jaxson Dart proving he's the new face of the franchise, the rapport he's displayed with second-year TE Theo Johnson has just as impressive.
With both Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo out for the season, the first-round rookie has been forced to make an impact while throwing to a weaker group of weapons. And that led his rapport with Johnson to quietly flash before he managed to catch the eye of superstar tight end George Kittle.
On a podcast with Jordan Schultz and NBA star Draymond Green, Kittle was asked about the young tight ends who are impressing him, which prompted him to shout out Johnson, Dalton Kincaid, and Harold Fannin Jr. But his praise for the Penn State product should be music to the ears of Giants fans.
Theo Johnson is starting to impress one of the best tight ends in the NFL
The six-time Pro Bowler admitted he likes Johnson's playmaking ability before doubling down by saying he thinks the connection between him and Dart will only continue to grow the more they play together. And it helps fans to know that the Ole Miss product has found a legitimate safety valve.
Through 13 games this season, the 24-year-old has caught 42 passes for 456 yards and five touchdowns and has started to cement himself as Big Blue's tight end of the future. Those numbers aren't groundbreaking, but they are incredibly promising to see from a former fourth-round draft pick.
Johnson and Wan'Dale Robinson are the two main pass-catchers that Dart likes to target, but his connection with his TE1 is different. The first-round rookie has started to rely upon his 6-foot-6, 264-pound tight end in the red zone, since he knows he can trust him to come down with the football.
Moreover, drops were a serious issue for the Winnipeg native in his rookie season, but his drop rate has been cut in half in an expanded role this season. And it's nice to know that he has a stranglehold on his starting spot, since his main competition for snaps comes in the form of Daniel Bellinger.
What Kittle didn't mention about Johnson was working with him at Tight End University this past offseason, but he did mention he sees a bit of himself in him. The five-time All-Pro even doubled down by saying he likes rooting for later draft picks at the position, as he was a Day 3 draft pick himself.
Johnson is far from a finished product, but he's shown flashes this season. And it's even more reassuring to know that one of the best in the business is supporting him amid his success.