The Giants suffered several injuries during their Thanksgiving loss, including a dislocated elbow that could sideline Dexter Lawrence for the rest of the season. The team’s offense may also be depleted in the coming weeks.
Rookie tight end Theo Johnson is dealing with a foot injury that could potentially end his season, as confirmed by head coach Brian Daboll on Friday (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). If his season is over, it would mark the end of his promising run as the team’s primary pass-catching tight end.
That role was originally expected to belong to Darren Waller heading into 2024, but after Waller’s retirement in June, Johnson was thrust into a more prominent offensive role. The 23-year-old Canadian stood out in training camp and, with an 84% snap share, quickly became a key part of the offense. Prior to his injury, Johnson had received at least five targets in five games, including each of the last four.
So far this season, the Penn State product has tallied 331 yards and one touchdown on 29 receptions. With the Giants’ offense struggling, both with and without Daniel Jones at quarterback, losing Johnson would be a significant blow for the remainder of the season. After Lawrence Cager was released from the practice squad last month due to injury, Daniel Bellinger is now poised to take on a bigger role.
With only five games left in the Giants’ season and no chance at the playoffs, it’s likely Johnson could be shut down after further testing on his foot. If that happens, his focus will shift to 2025, aiming to regain a key offensive role for the remainder of his rookie contract.