Johnson took a few games to acclimate to the NFL, then got rolling before his rookie campaign was cut short by a Lisfranc injury in his foot. The 2024 fourth-round draft pick out of Penn State recorded at least three catches for 30 yards seven times in an eight-game span prior to sitting out the Giants' final five games of 2024. Despite the serious nature of the injury he suffered last year, Johnson projects to pick up where he left off atop the depth chart after the Giants declined to add TE help this offseason. He wasn't a prolific pass catcher at Penn State while splitting time with Brenton Strange and then Tyler Warren, but Johnson does offer an unusual combination of size and raw athleticism, having lit up the 2024 Combine with a 4.57 40-yard dash and 38.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-6, 259 pounds. The Giants saw enough to prioritize other positions this offseason, making Johnson the favorite to start at TE again and a candidate to emerge as a useful complementary target behind No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers.
