Fox Sports picks Theo Johnson as 2025 breakout candidate
When it comes to the Giants' offense, it's no secret that Malik Nabers is the No. 1 option in the passing game.
But who might step up this season as the next top option?
According to Fox Sports' David Helman, it could be tight end Theo Johnson.
Helman recently chose a breakout candidate from each team across the league, and when it came to the Giants, he went with the second-year tight end.
"Fun as he might be, you can't build the entire plane out of Malik Nabers," wrote Helman. "He's a bona fide star and he's going to catch 100 balls this year, but Russell Wilson will need to find at least one or two other reliable targets. Johnson just might fit the bill after a promising rookie season. This is a dude with far better speed and athleticism than his 264-pound frame might suggest, and he's shown the ability to stretch the field down the seam. Pat Freiermuth led the Steelers in receptions last season, so I don't think Wilson will struggle to get him the ball if he lives up to his rookie potential."
Johnson finished his rookie season with 29 receptions for 331 yards and a touchdown across just 12 games. The yards ranked third among rookie tight ends, while his 29 receptions ranked fourth.
The young tight end was starting to pick things up before suffering his season-ending foot injury on Thanksgiving. Johnson registered 35+ receiving yards in each of his last five games, including a season-high five receptions for 54 yards in his final outing.
The 6-foot-6 tight end had compiled 50+ receiving yards in two of his final four contests.
As the article states, Pittsburgh's Pat Freiermuth put together the best season of his NFL career last year with Wilson under center for most of it. The Steelers tight end finished with a team-high 65 receptions, which was also a new personal high mark for Freiermuth, for 653 yards and seven touchdowns. Of those stats, 43 receptions for 459 yards and five touchdowns came from Wilson in his 11 starts.
See all of the action from Giants Minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
WR Dalen Cambre (5)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
WR Malik Nabers (1) and QB Russell Wilson (3)
WR Dalen Cambre (5)
WR Malik Nabers (1)
S Jevón Holland (8) and CB Paulson Adebo (21)
OLB Abdul Carter (51), OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) WR and OLB Brian Burns (0)
CB Art Green (35)
S Jevón Holland (8)
RB Rushawn Baker (36)
C Jimmy Morrissey (67)
WR Dalen Cambre (5), CB Art Green (35)
T James Hudson III (55), TE Theo Johnson (84)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
T James Hudson III (55), TE Theo Johnson (84)
WR Beaux Collins (8)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
T James Hudson III (55), TE Theo Johnson (84)
QB Tommy DeVito (15) and QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Russell Wilson (3),RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
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OLB Abdul Carter (51)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
WR Dalen Cambre (5), CB TJ Moore (30)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
TE Daniel Bellinger (82)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey (81)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (88)
C Jimmy Morrissey (67)
T Evan Neal (73)
C Jimmy Morrissey (67)
S Jevón Holland (8)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
ILB Darius Muasau (53)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Jevón Holland (8)
S Jevón Holland (8)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
CB Paulson Adebo (21)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Jevón Holland (8) and CB Paulson Adebo (21)
OLB Tomon Fox (45)
OLB Tomon Fox (45)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
S Jevón Holland (8) and S Tyler Nubin (27)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
WR Darius Slayton (18)
WR Malik Nabers (1)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
WR Montrell Washington (80)
WR Dalen Cambre (5)
WR Juice Wells Jr. (2)
WR Dalen Cambre (5)
WR Malik Nabers (1)
S Jevón Holland (8)
QB Jaxson Dart (6), WR Malik Nabers (1)
RB Dante Miller (25)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
K Graham Gano (9)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
QB Russell Wilson (3)
OLB Abdul Carter (51), Brian Daboll
OLB Brian Burns (0),OLB Abdul Carter (51)
TE Jermaine Terry II (48)
WR Montrell Washington (80)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson (17)
) K Jude McAtamney (99)
P Jamie Gillan (6)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
QB Russell Wilson (3),WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
ILB Dyontae Johnson (54)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
OLB Tomon Fox (45)
DL Chauncey Golston (57)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
Brian Daboll
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
QB Jameis Winston (19),RB Dante Miller (25)
WR Juice Wells Jr. (2)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (88)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
CB Korie Black (25)
WR Dalen Cambre (5), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
OLB Brian Burns (0),T Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
OLB Trace Ford (46)
OLB Abdul Carter (51)
Quaterbacks huddle, QB Russell Wilson (3),QB Jameis Winston (19)
S Tyler Nubin (27)
Roy Robertson-Harris (95)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
Quaterbacks huddle, QB Russell Wilson (3),QB Jameis Winston (19)
WR Dalen Cambre (5), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
View every move made by the New York Giants during the 2025 cycle.
DL Darius Alexander - Selection List Signing (June 2)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selection List Signing (May 30)
OLB Abdul Carter - Selection List Signing (May 22)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
CB T.J. Moore - Free Agent Signing (May 12)
DB R.J. Delancy III - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
DB Tommy McCormick - Waived, No Recall (May 12)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selection List Signing (May 9)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selection List Signing (May 9)
CB Korie Black - Selection List Signing (May 9)
RB Rushawn Baker, WR Jordan Bly, WR Dalen Cambre, WR Beaux Collins, DB R.J. Delancey, WR Da'Quan Felton, OLB Trace Ford, DB O'Donnell Fortune, DB Tommy McCormick, DB Makari Paige, TE Jermaine Terry, WR Antwane Wells, OL Jaison Williams - Free Agent Signing (May 9)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (May 9)
DL Casey Rogers - Waived, No Recall (May 8)
CB Korie Black - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 246 overall) (April 26)
TE Thomas Fidone II - Selected in the 7th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 219 overall) (April 26)
OL Marcus Mbow - Selected in the 5th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 154 overall) (April 26)
RB Cam Skattebo - Selected in the 4th Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 105 overall) (April 26)
DL Darius Alexander - Selected in the 3rd Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 65 overall) (April 25)
QB Jaxson Dart - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 25 overall) (April 24)
LB Abdul Carter - Selected in the 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft (No. 3 overall) (April 24)
DT Ross Blacklock - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (April 15)
QB Jameis Winston - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
LB Ty Summers - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 31)
QB Russell Wilson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 26)
ILB Dyontae Johnson - Exclusive Rights Signing (March 26)
WR Zach Pascal - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OL Aaron Stinnie - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 25)
OLB Victor Dimukeje - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 21)
OL Greg Van Roten - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 19)
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 18)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
CB Paulson Adebo - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
S Jevón Holland - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Darius Slayton - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
DL Chauncey Golston - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL James Hudson III - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
LB Chris Board - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
OL Stone Forsythe - Free Agent Signing (March 13)
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette - Re-signed (March 12)
DT Roy Robertson-Harris - Free Agent Signing (March 10)
P Jamie Gillan - Re-signed (March 8)
TE Chris Manhertz - Re-signed (March 8)
QB Tommy DeVito - Re-signed (March 8)
OLB Tomon Fox - Re-signed (March 7)
LS Casey Kreiter - Re-signed (March 5)
WR Montrell Washington - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
CB Nic Jones - Free Agent Signing (February 14)
DT Ross Blacklock - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Bryan Hudson - Reserve/Future (January 6)
K Jude McAtamney - Reserve/Future (January 6)
C Jimmy Morrissey - Reserve/Future (January 6)
DT Casey Rogers - Reserve/Future (January 6)
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