For as impressive as Theo Johnson has been for the New York Giants this season, he's still very much a work in progress. The second-year tight end has been one of the breakout stars for the offense, but has yet to display the consistency as a pass-catcher that several Giants fans have been waiting for.
In Big Blue's 16-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Johnson was held catch-less for the first time this season after recording two first-half drops. But in the wake of his worst performance of the season, Giants' interim head coach Mike Kafka made it clear that Johnson still has his support.
""Theo's a guy that we really rely on. He's a guy that's made a lot of big plays consistently throughout the last 5-7 games...I know he's had some drops in the past. That's in the past. I have a lot of confidence in Theo and his ability to make big-time plays for us.""Mike Kafka
The 24-year-old has emerged as one of Jaxson Dart's favorite targets, especially in the red zone. As Kafka said, the Giants have turned to Johnson in large part due to their lack of WR depth, but his drop issues have lingered throughout the year and are growing more alarming with each passing game.
Mike Kafka urges Giants fans to remain patient with Theo Johnson
On the bright side, a ninth consecutive loss has the Giants in the drivers seat for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but seeing a supposed franchise cornerstone struggle like this is not ideal. The Penn State product has the talent and athleticism to be a great tight end if he can sharpen his game up.
However, something worth noting is that the entire offense looked horrible against Brian Flores' defense. Dart was held to just 33 passing yards and threw an interception, while Wan'Dale Robinson caught three of Dart's seven completions for 19 yards as New York's leading receiver.
Without Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, Kafka's offense has certainly faltered, but Johnson was a lone bright spot. His breakout season gave fans hope regarding the future, but everything fans saw at MetLife Stadium on Sunday was a massive step in the wrong direction.
With that said, Johnson was a bit of a raw prospect when the G-Men drafted him in the fourth round to begin with, but they chose to bet on potential after Darren Waller retired. And the potential is certainly there, so knowing the coaching staff still believes in him after a rough outing is a very positive sign.