New York Giants rookie, and former Penn State Football tight end Theo Johnson will begin his first training camp on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform List.
The team announced the move on January 16, noting that Johnson is battling through a hip flexor injury, after participating in the Giants’ offseason program, OTAs and minicamp practices.
Johnson, chosen by the Giants with the No. 107 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, could push Daniel Bellinger for New York’s starting tight end job once he’s healthy enough to return.
Players, such as Johnson, who are on the PUP list are typically put on the list because of football injuries and are allowed to participate in team activities but not permitted to practice until they are activated from the list.
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Exploring Theo Johnson’s Role in New York Giants’ Offense
New York hopes that Johnson can become a steady presence in the passing game, in addition to a potentially dynamic receiving corps headlined by No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabers, as well as young and emerging weapons Jalin Hyatt and Wan’Dale Robinson.
“He’s smart,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll told reporters, of Johnson, earlier this spring. “He’s a young professional, a true pro, loves the game. Has good size. Can bend. Can run. Obviously tested really well. But had a really good pro day, too, at Penn State, moving around, running his routes, hitting the bag. You can only get so much out of it. You can tell his bend, you can tell he’s athletic. He’s a good guy we thought we could work with.”
Across four seasons in Happy Valley, before getting drafted by the Giants, Johnson caught 77 passes for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns, while averaging 12.2 yards per reception.
The Giants are set to take the field for the first time during training camp on July 24, but it remains to be seen if Johnson will be able to participate with his teammates.
MORE: Penn State’s Defensive Players With Most at Stake During Fall Camp
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