Big Blue Huddle

On this episode of the Giants Huddle podcast, John Schmeelk is joined by the Giants tight ends, including Daniel Bellinger, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz, Jack Stoll, and Lawrence Cager. They discuss the tight end room as a whole and what their responsibilities will be going into the 2024 season.
 

:00 - Daniel Bellinger
 

4:15 - Theo Johnson
 

9:06 - Chris Manhertz
 

12:25 - Jack Stoll
 

15:40 - Lawrence Cager

I don't think we're great at tight end, or anything close to that, but at least we have some depth as well as some athleticism and may end up being decent at the position in the aggregate.

As long as we have TEs who can block and can be dependable in the short and occasional intermediate passing game, I'm good as far as this year goes. Would it be nice if Theo Johnson steps up and turns out to be something materially better than what you'd expect from a fourth round pick who wasn't particularly productive in college? Sure it would, and I am not ruling that possibility out. But we kind of went through the same set of high expectations on Bellinger two summers ago (also a fourth round pick), and while he has been decent, he hasn't been anything special. In fact he regressed in year two.

If Bellinger can go back to being something more like the player he was in 2022, and Theo Johnson can contribute, and we get some serviceable depth from Cager, we may end up being fine at the position.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on June 30, 2024, 09:35:06 AMI don't think we're great at tight end, or anything close to that, but at least we have some depth as well as some athleticism and may end up being decent at the position in the aggregate.

As long as we have TEs who can block and can be dependable in the short and occasional intermediate passing game, I'm good as far as this year goes. Would it be nice if Theo Johnson steps up and turns out to be something materially better than what you'd expect from a fourth round pick who wasn't particularly productive in college? Sure it would, and I am not ruling that possibility out. But we kind of went through the same set of high expectations on Bellinger two summers ago (also a fourth round pick), and while he has been decent, he hasn't been anything special. In fact he regressed in year two.

If Bellinger can go back to being something more like the player he was in 2022, and Theo Johnson can contribute, and we get some serviceable depth from Cager, we may end up being fine at the position.

Your last paragraph represents what we all hope for.

Bellinger, since the eye injury of 2022, hasn't had the same impact and one has to wonder if there is some residual impact remaining from that injury which still bothers him to this day. But if he can settle into a solid blocker, and occasional receiver, that might be a good outcome.

I believe Cager is a Wild Card here and, if he can show marked improvement from last season, and take a little pressure off the young Johnson as he gets adjusted to the NFL game, that offers the best chance for success as we know it.

Now Chris Manhertz is a local Bronx kid who was a basketball player at Canisius in Buffalo, NY before changing to football and playing in Madden Series and getting a chance with the Bills in 2015. Although he's bounced around the league as a marginal TE, and has fought every day to avoid being cut, he comes to the Giants hungry to try and make the team. I applaud his endeavor and wish him the very best.

Jack Stoll, as we know, was a reserve TE with the Iggles last year, but his impact was minimal even when starting TE Dallas Goedert was injured. His first year appeared more promising as he received more looks during the Iggles' Super Bowl run. Whether last year's drop in productivity was due to the lack of confidence in his catching ability, or the complete breakdown of the Iggles' offense is not 100% clear, but he will have an opportunity to hit the reset button and try to jump-start his young career once more. He's a third year product from Nebraska which traditionally developed strong blocking habits of their offense in running situations which might benefit him in the Giants' running game.

This could very well become a Tight End-by-committee position before it is all said and done, in a similar manner in which we expect the running backs to be in season 2024.

Peace!