The New York Giants tight end room heading into 2025 isn’t exactly loaded with household names. It’s not a group that pops off the screen, and last season proved why. The production was scattered and outside of a few flashes here and there, the position didn’t do much to move the needle.
Darren Waller called it a career. Daniel Bellinger battled through injuries and a quiet year. Chris Manhertz did what he’s always done—block his tail off and catch the occasional short pass. But none of that offered long-term promise.
That’s what Theo Johnson was supposed to provide. The Penn State product was a fourth-round pick in 2024, brought in as a raw but freakishly athletic tight end with the chance to develop into a legitimate weapon. Early on, it felt like a redshirt-type rookie year. Johnson had a slow start, didn’t see much volume, and blended into an offense that was completely stuck. But around midseason, something clicked. His role grew. The confidence showed. And then it abruptly ended in injury.
Even with the season cut short, Johnson’s second-half surge was enough to get fans excited. He looked like a guy who could make this offense better. And now, one analyst believes he might make one of the biggest leaps of any tight end in the league.
Theo Johnson named breakout candidate for 2025 season
Pro Football Focus’ Thomas Valentine recently projected Johnson as the most improved tight end in the NFL for 2025. His numbers doubled over the final five games before the foot injury, and that was while working in an offense that never really had a functioning quarterback. The uptick in production matched the eye test—he played faster, ran cleaner routes, and looked more sure of himself as a blocker and pass-catcher.
Valentine summed it up perfectly: “The hope is that Johnson can pick up from where he left off in the back half of the 2024 season and continue to grow into a secondary pass-catcher for the Giants. Malik Nabers will naturally be the number one option on offense, but with a whole offseason under his belt, Johnson could become a real hit in 2025.”
There’s reason to believe he’s right. The Giants’ quarterback situation may not be perfect, but it’s already better than it was last year. Whether it’s Russell Wilson or Jaxson Dart under center, both are more capable of distributing the ball than the 2024 carousel. And that matters for a player like Johnson—he isn’t someone who’s going to command tons of targets a game, but he’s the kind of player who can turn four or five well-timed looks into chain-movers and red-zone threats.
And then there’s the OTA footage. Johnson looked every bit like a Year 2 breakout candidate. He was moving well, getting low in blocking drills, and generally looked like someone who knows this could be his time to take over the position. There’s still plenty to prove when the pads come on, but the early signs all point in the same direction.
He looks like he's hit the gym from this blocking video below:
And the foot injury last season looks like it won't slow him down one bit this offseason:
We'll have to wait on the touchdown and circus catch videos coming out of OTAs for now, but there's no denying the way he's moving should have Big Blue Nation buzzing for a Year 2 breakout.
For a team that lacked punch on offense last year, Johnson taking that jump might end up being one of the best developments of the season. The G-Men need him to grow into something real. And if the end of last year was any indication, he’s not far off.