Tag: Theo Johnson

Theo Johnson admits ‘tough’ Giants season took a toll: ‘Not easy’

New York Giants TE Theo Johnson admits that all the losing and a season-ending foot injury took a toll on him in 2024: “Not easy.”

The 2024 regular season was a tough one for the New York Giants, who finished with a 3-14 record and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

For much of the rookie class, losing to such a degree was similar to experiencing culture shock. Most were highly successful in college and conditioned to win, so the lack of success took a toll.

“It’s tough coming in every week and trying to put your best foot forward, and falling short is not easy, but it’s hard to win games in this league. I think the struggles that we went through this year gave me a lot of learning opportunities,” tight end Theo Johnson told the CBC. “I’m going to take that into consideration this year, and this off-season, because I don’t want to ever go through that again.”

Johnson, selected in the fourth round, was just beginning to come on for the Giants when he suffered a season-ending foot injury that required surgery.

At the time of his injury, Johnson had four straight games with five-plus targets and five straight games with 35-plus receiving yards.

“I broke my fifth metatarsal in the Thanksgiving game against Dallas, so I had to have season-ending surgery on it. I’m doing great with recovery. I’m almost cleared and a few weeks out from being fully cleared,” he said. “My rookie year came to an end, but I’m back in the right direction now.”

From all the losing to the injury, things did not go the way Johnson had planned or hoped. But with all of that soon to be behind him, the 23-year-old is looking forward to better things in 2025.

“I think I’m going to play a big role, and being able to help turn this organization around and turn this offense around,” he said. “We know what we do is just a matter about going out there and doing it week in and week out.”

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Malik Nabers lauds Giants’ rookie class: ‘We’re all dogs’

In what has otherwise been a lost season, WR Malik Nabers has found a silver lining in the 2024 NFL draft class: “We’re all dogs.”

The New York Giants will be closing in on some infamous milestones this week when they host the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

A loss to the Colts would set a new NFL single-season record for home losses with nine. The Giants would be the first team to achieve that in the 105-year history of the NFL.

Since the league expanded to 17 games in 2021, 16 teams have been getting an additional home game each season, so nine home losses has only been achievable in the past four seasons.

Any franchise with such a measly output would surely be seeking to clean house at the end of the season and push the reset button. The Giants call this “blowing it up,” something they’ve avoided doing under John Mara and Steve Tisch’s watch, which began in 2005.

They might not do it this time, either. They could conceivably keep general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll and simply make changes among the rest of the staff.

They could replace Daboll but it is unlikely that Schoen will be fired. He is coming off a very strong offseason in which all six of his draft choices ended up contributing in their first seasons with the club. He also added defensive end Brian Burns vis a trade and several key offensive linemen.

But it’s the rookie class that has the team — and the players — remaining optimistic for the future.

“We’re happy where we’re at,” said wide receiver Malik Nabers, who the Giants selected sixth overall in this year’s draft. “Continue to grow every day. A lot of things to fix, a lot of things we can look back on in our rookie year and continue to try to get better for next year. I’m happy with the group that decided to come here, that they picked. We’ve been doing a lot of great things. I’m hoping that we continue to do those things throughout the year.”

Nabers has already set a franchise record for receptions by a rookie (97) and is now chasing the NFL record of 105 set by the Rams’ Puka Nacua last season.

He knows he’s not the only rookie who has made an impact this season. Safety Tyler Nubin, cornerback Andru Phillips, tight end Theo Johnson, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., and linebacker Darius Muasau have all played valuable roles this season.

“I feel like we’re all dogs,” added Nabers. “Theo… you go through everybody. Nubin, he had a lot of broken stuff in his foot. He continued to play. Theo, he got his foot broken in the first quarter of the game, he continued to play. We’ve got that mentality that we want to win. Nothing’s going to stop us from getting done what we want to get done. To have that as a group and all in one, the sky’s the limit for us, I’m happy for that.”

This could be the start of a strong trend for the Giants. Yes, it took some time, but Schoen could be on the cusp of building something big here. He might just have the top pick in this year’s draft to work with, too.

If the Giants make a change now, they could be missing out on a chance to become winners again.

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Giants place Dexter Lawrence, Theo Johnson on injured reserve

The New York Giants have placed NT Dexter Lawrence and TE Theo Johnson on IR, while signing a defensive tackle off the Rams’ practice squad.

The New York Giants have officially placed nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and rookie tight end Theo Johnson on injured reserve (IR).

Lawrence suffered a dislocated elbow on Thanksgiving Day against the Dallas Cowboys when linebacker Bobby Okereke landed on him awkwardly.

Johnson, meanwhile, suffered a foot injury during the same game.

Both players are eligible to return after four games, which would be for a Week 18 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, it’s unlikely that either is activated for a meaningless season-ending contest.

“I think, the reality of it is we’re going to miss him,” linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said of Lawrence. “But this is going to be a great test and a great evaluation on everybody around him, the back end, the front end. We kind of joked about it as, ‘Dex can’t be the crutch. Dex can’t be our excuse on why we’re playing well or why we’re not playing well.’

“We all kind of got to each step up to the plate, knowing that one of our top guys isn’t there anymore. As far as leadership goes, it’s up to us in the front end and the back end to continue to step up, where he’s now missing.”

With Lawrence joining left tackle Andrew Thomas on IR and quarterback Daniel Jones having been released, the Giants are down to just two team captains — Okereke and long-snapper Casey Kreiter.

With two spots open on their 53-man roster, the Giants filled one by signing defensive tackle Cory Durden off of the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad.

The 6-foot-4, 316-pound Durden signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2023. He was released as a part of final cuts before signing with the Rams.

In four career games, the 25-year-old Durden has recorded three tackles (one solo).

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Giants’ Dexter Lawrence, Theo Johnson likely out for season

New York Giants NT Dexter Lawrence (elbow) and TE Theo Johnson (foot) are likely out for the remainder of the season.

The New York Giants’ miserable 2024 campaign worsened on Friday after the team announced that injuries to Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and rookie tight end Theo Johnson would likely be season-ending.

Lawrence left the Giants’ 27-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday in the third quarter with a dislocated elbow.

Johnson, who has seen his usage increase lately, appeared to suffer a foot injury late in the game and was upset in the locker room after the game.

Lawrence, at one point this season, led the NFL in sacks (9) but hasn’t recorded one since Week 8.

Johnson, a fourth-round pick out of Penn State this past April, has played in all 12 games, starting 11. He has 29 receptions for 331 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets.

Head coach Brian Daboll said on Friday that he wasn’t very “optimistic” about  Lawrence playing again this season.

“I would say that I anticipate it being a long-term injury, the rest of the season,” Daboll said on Friday. “Still going to have to take a look at a few different things, but not very optimistic about it.”

Lawrence injured the elbow in a collision with linebacker Bobby Okereke.

“I overextended and Bobby came crashing down and it popped out of place,” Lawrence said. “I looked at him and said, ‘You just popped my elbow out of place.’ And then I thought, ‘I wonder if this is what shock feels like.'”

Daboll also said Johnson’s injury was likely long-term, even season-ending.

“We are going to get a few more tests, but I definitely think there’s a potential of that,” Daboll said.

Not much has gone right for the Giants, who sit with the NFL’s worst record at the moment (2-10).

They have five games remaining. They play New Orleans and Baltimore at home followed by a trip to Atlanta and a home game versus Indianapolis before finishing the season down in Philadelphia against old friend Saquon Barkley.

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Giants-Cowboys Week 13: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The New York Giants lost their Week 13 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The New York Giants became the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday following a 27-20 loss to the Cooper Rush-led Dallas Cowboys.

For the Giants, it was also their seventh consecutive loss, tying the seventh-longest such streak in franchise history.

Adding injury to insult, Big Blue likely lost nose tackle Dexter Lawrence (elbow) for the season, while several other players also went down with injuries.

Happy Thanksgiving, Giants fans.

Here are the snap counts that contributed to the Giants’ Week 13 loss.

Offensive snaps: 63
Defensive snaps: 76
Special teams snaps: 31

Rookie tight end Theo Johnson has become the unquestioned starter at the position, while fellow tight end Daniel Bellinger has seen his role significantly reduced.

After starting the game on the bench, rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. ended up taking 73 percent of the offensive workload. He did not have a fumble.

The defensive snaps were all over the place due to a multitude of injuries. Notably, rookie safety Tyler Nubin continues to assume a 100 percent snap share.

This week, it was shared by veteran cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who stepped in to replace Deonte Banks (inactive).

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Giants injury report: Tommy DeVito at risk of missing Cowboys game

New York Giants QB Tommy DeVito was added to Tuesday’s injury report and is at risk of missing a Thanksgiving Day game against Dallas.

The New York Giants took the field on Tuesday for a walkthrough practice ahead of their Week 13 game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Beforehand, head coach Brian Daboll met with reporters and revealed that quarterback Tommy DeVito was added to the injury report with a forearm issue.

“If we were practicing today, it’s a walkthrough, he would be limited. His forearm is sore, and we’ll see where we’re at. We had a walkthrough right before this. It is sore, so we’ll see where we’re at here,” Daboll said.

“He threw in the walkthrough. I wouldn’t say it’s timing or a lot of depth to it or velocity to it, but he was throwing in the walkthrough. He’s going to test it out here today in practice in another walkthrough. So, I’m hopeful, but it’s not 100 percent.”

Daboll added that he was “hopeful” both DeVito and right tackle Evan Neal will play, but was less optimistic regarding edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, defensive tackle Armon Watts, and left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

The Giants’ full Tuesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: OL Jermaine Eluemunor (quad), LB Azeez Ojulari (toe), DT Armon Watts (shoulder)

Limited participant: QB Tommy DeVito (forearm), OL Evan Neal (hip), CB Deonte Banks (rib), DT D.J. Davidson (shoulder), TE Theo Johnson (back), LB Micah McFadden (thumb/heel), S Tyler Nubin (back)

Full participant: NT Dexter Lawrence (knee)

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Giants injury report: Dexter Lawrence limited for second straight day

For the second straight day, New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence was limited in practice with a knee injury.

The New York Giants took the field on Thursday for their second of three practices ahead of a Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Beforehand, head coach Brian Daboll met with reporters and expressed optimism that edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux would be activated from injured reserve (IR) and play on Sunday.

“Encouraged,” Daboll said.

Even if Thibodeaux suits up on Sunday, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said that fellow edge rusher Azeez Ojulari has earned the right to play, hinting at a rotational snap share.

Meanwhile, nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, who is usually given veteran rest days, was limited in practice for the second consecutive day.

The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: None

Limited participant: WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles), NT Dexter Lawrence (knee), LB Darius Muasau (hamstring), S Tyler Nubin (back)

Full participant: WR Darius Slayton (concussion), LB Matthew Adams (knee), TE Theo Johnson (back), CB Andru Phillips (hip), LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist), OL Greg Van Roten (abdomen)

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Giants injury report: Kayvon Thibodeaux designated to return from IR

The New York Giants have designated edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) to return from injured reserve (IR).

The New York Giants returned to the practice field on Wednesday afternoon in preparation for a Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Before heading out into the unseasonably warm temperatures, head coach Brian Daboll took the podium to speak with reporters.

The good news is that linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux has been designated to return from injured reserve (IR) and had his 21-day practice window open. But Daboll expects him to return long before that, even indicating that he could play this Sunday.

“We’ll open up Kayvon’s window, so he’ll start, optimistic that he’ll be ready to go,” Daboll said.

All other players were expected to practice on at least a limited basis.

The Giants’ full Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: None

Limited participant: LB Matthew Adams (knee), WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles), TE Theo Johnson (back), NT Dexter Lawrence (knee), LB Darius Muasau (hamstring), S Tyler Nubin (back), LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist), OL Greg Van Roten (abdomen)

Full participant: WR Darius Slayton (concussion)

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Giants impressed, pleased with 2024 NFL draft class

Despite their regular season struggles, the New York Giants have been both impressed and pleased with their 2024 NFL draft class.

The first 10 weeks of the New York Giants’ 2024 season are in the rearview mirror as they head into the bye. With a disappointing record of 2-8, there hasn’t been much that has gone right for Big Blue this year.

One of the few things that has been impressive is the team’s 2024 NFL draft class.

General manager Joe Schoen fielded questions from the media on Tuesday and talked about the early success of his most recent class.

“I like Tyler Nubin. He’s played well for us. He’s one of the only rookies playing 99 percent of the defensive playtime. He’s leading rookies in tackles. So, I’m excited about him,” Schoen said. “Tyrone Tracy, also leading rookies in terms of rushing. So, I’m excited about the young players that we have.

“The build’s tough. It hurts sometimes as you’re going through it. But, you got to go through it to get to the other side. I like the young foundation that we’ve put in place. Whether it’s (Brian) Burns, (Dexter Lawrence II) and Kayvon (Thibodeaux). There’s some pieces that are going to be in.”

Schoen then circled back around to his 2024 draft class.

“(Malik) Nabers, the rookies I talked about, Theo (Johnson). There’s some young pieces here in place in terms of the foundation that we’re going to continue to build on. Another year of free agency and another draft, we’re not far off. We’re not far off.”

At 2-8 in the third season of the Schoen-Brian Daboll regime, there are no guarantees that the general manager or head coach will be back.

However, Schoen’s 2024 draft class certainly has been impressive. He received criticism following the draft after being the only team not to draft an offensive or defensive lineman.

On offense, the Giants have the rookie rushing leader in Tracy and the rookie receiving yards leader in Nabers. Let’s not forget, Theo Johnson has seen an increased role in the offense as time has gone on. On the other side of the ball, Andru Phillips and Nubin have been noticeable in the secondary for the Giants.

With just three teams younger than the Giants at the start of the regular season, Schoen will continue to evaluate the roster in the final seven games. However, it does seem as though the 2024 draft class will go down as a win on his resume.

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Giants injury report: Darius Slayton out vs. Panthers

New York Giants wide receivers Darius Slayton and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are unlikely to play in Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers.

Editor’s note: Darius Slayton did not travel with the team to Germany and is officially out in Week 10.

The New York Giants took the field on Thursday for their second of three practices ahead of a Week 10 game against the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany.

Beforehand, head coach Brian Daboll delivered the unfortunate news that wide receivers Darius Slayton and Bryce Ford-Wheaton are unlikely to travel and will subsequently miss Sunday’s game against Carolina.

On the flip side of that coin, both kicker Graham Gano and punter Jamie Gillan continue to progress and are likely to suit up in Week 10. Gillan is all but guaranteed to play and Daboll says Gano has a strong chance.

The coach also revealed that offensive lineman Greg Van Roten should be “OK” to play on Sunday.

The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: WR Darius Slayton (concussion), WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles), OL Chris Hubbard (illness)

Limited participant: K Graham Gano (hamstring), P Jamie Gillan (hamstring), TE Theo Johnson (knee/back), LB Ty Summers (ankle), NT Dexter Lawrence (NIR), OL Greg Van Roten (shoulder), LB Matthew Adams (calf), S Jason Pinnock (abdomen), LB Darius Muasau (hamstring)

Full participant: None

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