The New York Giants defeated the Detroit Lions 14–3 on Thursday night to open the preseason. There were plenty of fantastic takeaways from a dominant outing on both sides of the football. Of course, the Giants didn’t manage that many points, but the running game was solid, tallying 155 yards and 5.7 yards per carry on average.
The offensive line looks like a completely different unit, and the Giants will look ahead to the Houston Texans as an opportunity to get more key players involved.
The Giants Might Have a Sleeper at LB2
However, one of the standout performances was an undrafted linebacker from 2023, Dyontae Johnson. Johnson is a former Toledo standout defender who appeared in all three preseason games last year. He recorded seven combined tackles and one quarterback hit, but he’s been developing quietly behind the scenes, waiting for an opportunity to earn a starting job.
Johnson is familiar with the new defense, and he suggested that he sees similarities to his playbook from college. Clearly, he’s found a nice groove in his second year, recording four tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss, and a quarterback hit in Thursday’s win.
“We’re playing with a lot more vision that allows us to play more freely in space and a lot quicker to break off the ball,” he said.
At the moment, the Giants have Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden slated as their primary two linebacker starters, but there’s a world where Johnson takes over the LB2 spot.
In fact, Johnson had nothing but great things to say about Okereke, the team’s MIKE linebacker and defensive leader.
“It’s a great opportunity. I’m grateful to be there with those older guys around me leading the way,” Johnson said. “(Linebacker) Bobby (Okereke) — it’s a blessing to be out there next to him. It’s a blessing to hear him talk, see him flying around.”
Learning From The Best
Okereke signed a four-year, $40 million deal with the Giants last offseason and is entering year two of his contract. His impact is substantial, and Johnson has been learning from him over the course of a year, and all of that hard work has finally started to show itself.
McFadden’s role is specific, given his aggressiveness in getting into the offensive backfield and stopping the run. He’s a solid player with great upside, but the Giants finally have depth at the linebacker spot. If Johnson doesn’t win the job, all it takes is one injury for him to be thrust into a starting role, a spot he may not give up long-term.