It’s been easy to forget about Theo Johnson lately. The New York Giants just wrapped up an undefeated preseason, Jaxson Dart mania is in full swing, and Brian Daboll... Mike Kafka's offense suddenly looks like it can find the end zone. But while the spotlight has been flashing on everyone else, Johnson’s quietly been getting ready to break out.
The second-year tight end missed some time with a vague, undisclosed injury. It didn’t feel serious, but the silence was loud enough to raise eyebrows. Especially considering how electric he looked this summer — faster, sharper, stronger, and clearly locked in with both Wilson and Dart. Johnson was supposed to be the sneaky breakout star of this offense. Then he disappeared for a week or so.
That’s over now. He’s back. Daboll said, “he’s good to go,” and just like that, it’s game on. Johnson will most likely be in the lineup Sunday in Washington, and if things go according to plan, the Commanders might be the first team to find out how big of a problem he can be in Year 2.
We get a very brief viewing window at the start of practice. Theo Johnson appeared to be doing everything during that window. Was harder to get a read on whether Andrew Thomas was just rotating or being limited, but he was at least participating in individual drills to some…
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) September 3, 2025
Giants quietly unleash mismatch nightmare Theo Johnson in Week 1 vs Commanders
Washington’s defense doesn’t bring much heat on the edge. Dorance Armstrong and Deatrich Wise Jr. don’t exactly keep offensive coordinators up at night. There’s no rangy linebacker outside Frankie Luvu floating in coverage. No premier safety roaming the seam.
It’s the kind of matchup where a 6-foot-6, 264-pound tight end with a 9.93 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) should absolutely feast — especially if the G-Men actually commit to feeding him.
Johnson looked more explosive this summer than he did at any point last year, and even in limited preseason action, the flashes were hard to ignore. He’s never going to lead the team in targets, but he won't have to. His size alone shifts defensive schemes. His presence inside should open lanes for Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton to dominate outside. And if Wilson wants a security blanket early, Johnson’s right there.
The biggest question now is volume. How often will Dabs and Kafka scheme him into the plan? How much will they move him around? And how quickly can Big Blue get him going underneath to loosen up a defense that loves to play physical man-to-man?
Sunday’s the first test. Johnson’s healthy, available, and looks the part of game-wrecker. This is the type of Week 1 matchup that can quietly change the tone of a season, and the Giants might have just the right tight end to take advantage and sneak away with a win.