Brian Daboll summons Theo Johnson to his office

[MightyGiants]

He was in the meeting room with the rest of the tight ends when the rookie from Penn State was summoned upstairs to the office of New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

"There's countless times where we'll be in the middle of a meeting and he'll be like, 'Theo, Dabs wants to see you,'" Johnson recalled after practice Tuesday. "Pulls me out of the meeting and I'm like, 'What could this possibly be about?' And then he's got up a clip of Gronk just running somebody over, catching a back shoulder, and he's like, 'This is what we expect from you.' I can tell he puts a lot of intentional eye into the tight end position ... I think it goes to show how he feels about me and what he thinks I'm capable of."

Daboll gave assistant coach Angela Baker in the spring kudos for working extra with Johnson to get him up to speed. The Giants have to be counting on him as a factor for this team from Day 1.

"At the end of the day, that's what I want for myself and it's good when your coach expects that and wants that for you, too," Johnson added. "It's good to have that support, and that's the standard I'm trying to hold myself to."

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nfl/giants/2024/07/30/theo-johnson-brian-daboll-ny-giants-rob-gronkowski/74606182007/

[T200]

That's why Jones needs to improve his field vision... he has guys that can get open on any given play.

[Jclayton92]

That's why Jones needs to improve his field vision... he has guys that can get open on any given play.

With the assets we have currently, there should always be somewhere to go with the ball.

[Jclayton92]

Also honestly more hyped ab Theo than I ever was about Waller.

[Stringer Bell]

Of course a thread about our new TE turns into an indictment of DJ. Color me shocked.

[Philosophers]

I hope Theo really steps up.  We need some rookies to be big contributors.

[miss86]

Man, talk about putting the world on this kid's shoulders. I hope the dude can handle the mental part of the NFL as well as the physical. He is a rookie for goodness sake. Go get'em Theo!

[T200]

Of course a thread about our new TE turns into an indictment of DJ. Color me shocked.

It's not an indictment. Daboll can expect TJ to be Gronk 2.0 but it ain't happening if the QB doesn't get him the ball.

That's just facts and not a knock on Jones.

[Stringer Bell]

It's not an indictment. Daboll can expect TJ to be Gronk 2.0 but it ain't happening if the QB doesn't get him the ball.

That's just facts and not a knock on Jones.

The larger point is that the thread had absolutely nothing to do with DJ. The OP was about our rookie TE and the dynamic between him and the coach and how the team is approaching his development.

Yet the first response had nothing to do with the TE and, instead, was a dig at what DJ needs to improve on.

The schtick is just tired. When nearly every thread - no matter how off topic - devolves into a "DJ isn't good enough" thread, it degrades the entire board experience and stifles what could be good conversation on other interesting topics that matter.

[Bob In PA]

If the link below works, I think it's the world's longest highlight reel.

Theo sees the field like a QB sees the field. 

Speaking of that, take careful note of the QB who's throwing him most of those balls.

Bob

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=theo+johnson+highlights#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fae9eaa8,vid:pjPOj8F-EF8,st:0

[MightyGiants]

Given a choice between an elite pass-catching TE and a true two-way TE who is a good pass-catcher and blocker, I will always go for the latter.   The pass-catching TE is essentially just an oversized receiver, while the rare two-way TE is a chess piece that gives offenses a huge boost.  If you notice, many SB winning teams tend to have a two-way TE on their rosters.

[Bob In PA]

Given a choice between an elite pass-catching TE and a true two-way TE who is a good pass-catcher and blocker, I will always go for the latter.   The pass-catching TE is essentially just an oversized receiver, while the rare two-way TE is a chess piece that gives offenses a huge boost.  If you notice, many SB winning teams tend to have a two-way TE on their rosters.

Rich:  Yes, and I'm all for that. 

The "work-around" for not having a two-way TE is not easy, but it's not impossible either.

You have to be able to run the ball using plays that do not rely on your "single-dimensional-TE" to make a key block, while at the same time occasionally featuring a run-play that absolutely depends on the same TE to make a key block. The latter plays keep the defense honest and create the illusion that your TE has two-way capabilities, minimizing the deficit presented by having a guy at TE who can't block.

Bob

[MightyGiants]

Rich:  Yes, and I'm all for that. 

The "work-around" for not having a two-way TE is not easy, but it's not impossible either.

You have to be able to run the ball using plays that do not rely on your "single-dimensional-TE" to make a key block, while at the same time occasionally featuring a run-play that absolutely depends on the same TE to make a key block. The latter plays keep the defense honest and create the illusion that your TE has two-way capabilities, minimizing the deficit presented by having a guy at TE who can't block.

Bob

Those are good points.   I will add another point.  When you have a true two-way TE, the two tight end sets put the defense in a lose-lose situation.   If the defense goes heavy you send your two-way TE out in a receiving pattern to take advantage of the slower defenders.   If the defense goes light to counter the pass, you go run to overpower the lighter defenders.

[T200]

The larger point is that the thread had absolutely nothing to do with DJ. The OP was about our rookie TE and the dynamic between him and the coach and how the team is approaching his development.

Yet the first response had nothing to do with the TE and, instead, was a dig at what DJ needs to improve on.

The schtick is just tired. When nearly every thread - no matter how off topic - devolves into a "DJ isn't good enough" thread, it degrades the entire board experience and stifles what could be good conversation on other interesting topics that matter.

You're correct that the post is about TJ. It was also about the coach's expectations of him.

And then he's got up a clip of Gronk just running somebody over, catching a back shoulder, and he's like, 'This is what we expect from you.

TJ can't be what his coach is expecting him to be without the QB, whoever is under center, getting him the ball.

The Giants have 4-5 legit receiving threats that can and will be open on any given play.

It was not a dig to say Jones, who will most assuredly be the starter barring any physical reason, needs to IMPROVE his field vision. I didn't say anything along the lines of "Jones won't get him the ball because he'll be bird dogging Nabers." THAT is a dig.

Citing an area of improvement for Jones or any player is not a dig.

Unfortunately you picked the wrong post to highlight a comment that is an example of "bringing the board down." If you read, "DJ isn't good enough", in what I posted, I'm afraid you're not going to find what you're claiming.

Johnson can't be Gronk 2.0 without the ball. Period.

[MightyGiants]

You're correct that the post is about TJ. It was also about the coach's expectations of him.

TJ can't be what his coach is expecting him to be without the QB, whoever is under center, getting him the ball.

The Giants have 4-5 legit receiving threats that can and will be open on any given play.

It was not a dig to say Jones, who will most assuredly be the starter barring any physical reason, needs to IMPROVE his field vision. I didn't say anything along the lines of "Jones won't get him the ball because he'll be bird dogging Nabers." THAT is a dig.

Citing an area of improvement for Jones or any player is not a dig.

Unfortunately you picked the wrong post to highlight a comment that is an example of "bringing the board down." If you read, "DJ isn't good enough", in what I posted, I'm afraid you're not going to find what you're claiming.

Johnson can't be Gronk 2.0 without the ball. Period.

Tim,

In all fairness, your comment was a dig at Jones.   It's even an odd time to hit DJ when you considered a big pass catching TE is a QB'S best friend.   QBs love a big target in the middle of the field who is often more open than most and who have huge catch radius.