What Does Dyontae Johnson Have to Offer Giants Linebackers Unit?

Can Dyontae Johnson make the New York Giants roster in 2023?

Author:
Brandon Olsen
Publish date:
Jun 8, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

In this story:

Dyontae Johnson, Linebacker

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 230 pounds
2022 Stats*: 109 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3 sacks, 3 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble

The New York Giants' big-ticket addition in the linebacker room this offseason was Bobby Okereke from the Indianapolis Colts; otherwise, the Giants did very little to address the position. The signing of Dyontae Johnson isn’t going to be what pushes the Giants into the Super Bowl conversation, but he has the upside to become a contributor to the defense.

Johnson is an ideal fit for Wink Martindale’s defense in that he should be able to operate as a chase linebacker that can work in space while also using his athleticism as a blitzer.

Martindale’s defense can succeed with linebackers that excel at attacking the football, which Johnson does. But he can also become the best coverage linebacker on this roster, not named Okereke, within the next year.

Best Case Scenario

If everything goes according to plan, Johnson can be a rotational linebacker as a rookie and a contributor on special teams. Given his versatility in coverage as a downhill player and the lack of quality off-ball linebackers on the roster, Johnson has a potential path to early playing time.

He won’t be an NFL-starter quality linebacker in 2023, but only one is currently on the Giants' roster.

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Worst Case Scenario

I would expect a worst-case scenario for Johnson to include him being added to the practice squad for 2023. If the staff feels he’s not up to NFL standards just yet, his athletic upside alone should secure him a spot on the practice squad so that the Giants can keep an eye on his development and essentially have “dibs” on him.

What to Expect in 2023

As a rookie, Johnson could be considered a jack of all trades, master of none. While that isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, given the current state of the Giants linebacker room, it’s a welcome addition.

When Johnson first showed up at Toledo, he was an edge rusher, and he would continue to rotate on the edge throughout his college career. Martindale could eventually use Johnson all over the field and add more versatility to the scheme.