Under Joe Schoen, the New York Giants are always open to checking in on the top available free agents. Theo Johnson has been one of the breakout stars of training camp, and seventh-round rookie Thomas Fidone II has shone to the point where he’s expected to crack the 53-man roster.
Big Blue has already been linked to free-agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, but Dexter Lawrence’s former Clemson running mate isn’t the only player New York has been rumored to be kicking the tires on. In a recent shock, Seahawks tight end Noah Fant was released, and the G-Men make sense.
According to For the Win’s Cory Woodroof, the 27-year-old pass catcher could give Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka a more established option for Russell Wilson– who, ironically, Fant was traded for. After all, Wilson is known to love his tight ends.
“Fant could definitely help a Giants team that could use an upgrade at tight end,” Woodroof wrote. “His Seattle Seahawks cut was surprising, but Fant can still help in the passing game as a high-volume tight end in the right system.”
Noah Fant could provide the Giants’ tight end room an additional red zone threat
Fant, a first-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2019, was a surprise cut by the Seahawks earlier this month, who are looking to shed salary and carve out more playing time for rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo.
After double-digit starts in every other season of his NFL career, the Iowa product started a career-low nine games in Seattle in 2024, recording 48 catches for 500 yards. Fant also tallied just one receiving touchdown last season, his only one in the last two seasons.
That’s a pretty sharp decline for a player who grabbed 18 scores across his final two seasons with the Hawkeyes.
However, the Omaha native has 300 receptions and over 3,300 receiving yards in his career, and he’s always been productive due to his 6-foot-4, 249-pound frame. But the question that lingers in East Rutherford is if Schoen is willing to make the deal and risk the development of his youthful tight end room.
Fidone II came back from Tight End U a changed man, where he utilized his lessons from Travis Kelce and George Kittle to progress on the practice field. The former Nebraska standout turned heads with an impressive one-handed catch on Thursday, and the Giants have been high on the former five-star recruit for a while.
Meanwhile, Johnson has been a popular breakout candidate entering Year 2 coming out of Penn State, especially given he is firmly the TE1 in East Rutherford.
Even the Giants’ tight end depth is interesting. Two tight ends under 25, Greg Dulcich and Daniel Bellinger, aren’t even locks to make the Week 1 roster because of Johnson, Fidone, and veteran Chris Manhertz.
Don’t be surprised if Schoen comes calling, but that doesn't mean a deal is guaranteed.