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    What Did Giants Fans Learn About Johnson in Preseason Debut?

    By Anthony Licciardi,

    4 hours ago

    Since veteran tight end Darren Waller retired earlier this summer, New York Giants fans have grown increasingly excited about the prospects of rookie tight end Theo Johnson.

    A hip pointer delayed his training camp, but his arrival was worth the wait. He quickly figured into the conversation for first-team reps and has impressed in his limited action.

    However, fans waiting for Johnson to star in Thursday’s 14-3 win over the Detroit Lions were disappointed.

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    Johnson made his professional debut on Thursday, but did so without making an entry into the box score. He wasn’t targeted by Drew Lock or Tommy DeVito in the win.

    That isn’t necessarily a reason for concern. Johnson logged only 12 snaps and ran eight routes – not exactly a significant sample size. Having been listed as the fourth tight end on the unofficial depth chart, behind Daniel Bellinger, Lawrence Cager, and Chris Manhertz, an eyebrow could’ve been raised at his lack of usage.

    However, Johnson got starter-level usage. He played one more snap than Bellinger and five more than Manhertz. Instead, former quarterback Tyree Jackson got the bulk of the reps (39) at tight end.

    While it may be too early to pencil him in as a Week 1 starter, Thursday’s game felt much more like someone in the plans for the first-team offense, even if it’s mostly in 12-personnel sets to start. The transition to the league is generally difficult for tight ends, and there’s work to be done as a blocker and with his fundamentals as a receiver.

    Related: Giants' Front Seven Depth Stands Out in Preseason Win Over Lions

    Johnson’s day was quiet, but the Giants weren’t afraid to run the ball with him on the field and didn’t feel the need to see more from in.

    The rest of the preseason will give fans more insight into Johnson’s potential role and usage, but – like receiver Malik Nabers – the opener offered more optimism than concern.

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