The Giants have a position battle unfolding at linebacker behind primary starters Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. In fact, some may argue that McFadden may be fighting for a starting job himself, with former undrafted free agent from 2023, Dyontae Johnson, making a positive impression this summer.
Johnson’s Standout Performance
Johnson had himself a day against the Detroit Lions during Thursday’s preseason game. He tallied three pressures, including a sack and two hurries. He picked up two tackles with three stops and showcased some fantastic potential over 24 snaps. At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, the former UDFA has the athletic profile to work his way into the starting conversation.
Mentorship and Injury Setback
Okereke has been a mentor and leader for the young linebacker, who’s been modeling his game after the veteran. Unfortunately, according to Jordan Raanan and ESPN on Saturday morning, Johnson is considered week to week with an ankle sprain, likely cutting his preseason short at least. He may be able to sneak some reps in the final game against the New York Jets, but at this rate, it doesn’t seem as though he’ll be ready.
Strong Roster Potential Despite Setbacks
Nonetheless, Johnson has shown enough to be a strong roster candidate, especially since the Giants don’t have a ton of quality depth at linebacker. They could view Isaiah Simmons as a key piece but do have Matthew Adams and rookie Darius Muasau, with the latter of the two picking up two tackles and two stops against the Lions.
It is also fair to mention Darrian Beavers, who’s been fighting to make the roster for the Giants and also put together a strong outing against Detroit, collecting three tackles and putting up fantastic run defense numbers.
Future Considerations for Johnson
The Giants do have some decent linebacker options, but Dyontae is only in his second year and has flashed starting-level potential, and the Giants may not want to throw that away just yet.
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It is possible that he could land back on the practice squad, where the Giants would continue to develop him, but if that’s the case, he would be available for another team to grab as a free agent. That’s how the Giants secured Jason Pinnock, their starting strong safety, several years ago from the Jets.