A closer look: Bryant Johnson

[Crazy Canuck]

He also blew 2 games because he can't catch. That crap can't fly, I don't care what his numbers are. He can't catch the ball when we need him to which is a huge problem

Really... well, here's the stats on the guy you're pimping:

S. Mcdonald:

13 receptions - 136 yards - 10.5 yard av. per reception - 1 touchdown.

So, much for your answer to the BJ issue...

You don't have to care about the stats, but the coaches do.

 

[njlawrence]

Johnson has long been one to be kicked around on this board. I have always thought he is a strong receiver and would be a starter on most NFL teams. He made some really great cathes this year and I just do not understand why it is often suggest we trade him for a 4th or 5th round pick or just let him walk. Sure hope we keep him. He is the closest thing we have to speed at WR who can make a big catch.

I'm with you, John. How can anybody say he single-handedly cost us two games? He makes a handy scapegoat--no charisma, no attitude.

Bryant has the speed we need and maybe now with some adequate coaching and playcalling, he can become more consistent.

 

[Goodyear Card]

A WR job is too catch the ball and he doesn't catch the ball consistently. Nobody is perfect but he drops the ball way too often for a wr. he is also not a burner. Let him walk. I agree with the other posters that McCoy is a better receiver. Neither of them can replace Fritz or Boldin but you would be extremely lucky to have 3 receivers of that quality on one team.

 

[Totally_Red]

Really... well, here's the stats on the guy you're pimping:

S. Mcdonald:

13 receptions - 136 yards - 10.5 yard av. per reception - 1 touchdown.

So, much for your answer to the BJ issue...

You don't have to care about the stats, but the coaches do.

I don't get the Shaun McDonald love. He doesn't have B.J.'s size and isn't fast at all. When he fields a punt, half the time he loses yards running sideways or backwards. Johnson doesn't have very good hands, but he's a decent third receiver IMO. At this point, McCoy is a project.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

A WR job is too catch the ball and he doesn't catch the ball consistently. Nobody is perfect but he drops the ball way too often for a wr. he is also not a burner. Let him walk. I agree with the other posters that McCoy is a better receiver. Neither of them can replace Fritz or Boldin but you would be extremely lucky to have 3 receivers of that quality on one team.

Come September, Johnson who is under contract, will in all likelihood be the team's no. 3 receiver. McCoy, a project at best, will be fighting Spurlock for the 4th., 5th. roles. If I'm wrong feel free to remind then.

 

[JC_AZ]

for the record, i like bj

Well, if we are all honest here...who does not like BJ once in awhile

 

[spanky1]

Iam and have been in the BJ camp since he signed. As has been noted, we have him for another year.....so the comments about "let him walk" are totally irrevelant.

People have been pimping LeRon McCoy, but he hasn't show a whole bunch, injury situation last year aside.

And don't forget about Todd Watkins. He might surprise us all this year.

 

[WildBB]

Iam and have been in the BJ camp since he signed. As has been noted, we have him for another year.....so the comments about "let him walk" are totally irrevelant.

People have been pimping LeRon McCoy, but he hasn't show a whole bunch, injury situation last year aside.

And don't forget about Todd Watkins. He might surprise us all this year.

And like Edge liked to point out, availability is huge in the NFL. You can't understate it. Some guys who are maligned here show up week in and out and make plays. Heck even Fitz had some big drops last yr. Most were over the middle, but he had drops. So did Quan./

 

[john h]

As Bullhead pointed out, McCoy is much more of a burner than BJ. I'd bet good money that he would have put BJ on the bench last season if he had stayed healthy.

Why wouldn't we let him walk? His contract is up after next year and I don't see us resigning him unless he starts performing better. I highly doubt he'll be taking a discount to stay with the Cardinals

No he want accept a discount from the Cardinals. He will be a starter for some NFL team if he does not remain a Card. I doubt he leaves this year after the new coaching staff reviews his film and numbers. We talk about his dropped passes but no one is saying anything about some of those spectacular catches he made or some of the big efforts he made after a catch to get extra yards. I thought with him and our other two receivers we had the best three receivers on one team in the NFL. With our new coaching staff I think we will have more of a balanced attack this season unless we just cannot run the ball. Three good receivers sure makes it tough on defenders.

 

[Captain Matt]

Maybe we'll get better all-around performance in a contract year??? Then, come week 10 or so we offer an extension. If he pouts or wants to sit out (unlikely as he'll be fighting to stay in the league) he sits.........

 

[RugbyMuffin]

In my opinion, you can't learn "hands" at the pro level. Either you can catch or you can't. Johnson will always drop critical passes. We need to replace him.

Ditto.

 

[BigRedArk]

And like Edge liked to point out, availability is huge in the NFL. You can't understate it. Some guys who are maligned here show up week in and out and make plays. Heck even Fitz had some big drops last yr. Most were over the middle, but he had drops. So did Quan./

How many of Fitz' drops were in the end zone though. Not only does BJ too often drop sure TD passes right in his hands he drops that at the most inopportune times as well. Cards O will be gaining mo' and starting to click and he will drop a sure one on third down or in the end zone either killing a drive or depriving us of a TD. He can't leave too soon for me.

 

[RonF]

The reason Johnson is the number three receiver is because he drops some of the passes. I've seen Fritz drop some too, but when Johnson is hot, he can dominate in a game. Is it his hands that causes the miscues or is it all in his head. Hopefully, good coaching will overcome any deficiency he has. I vote he stays.

 

[BACH]

The reason Johnson is the number three receiver is because he drops some of the passes. I've seen Fritz drop some too, but when Johnson is hot, he can dominate in a game. Is it his hands that causes the miscues or is it all in his head. Hopefully, good coaching will overcome any deficiency he has. I vote he stays.

???

The reason BJ is #3 is because Boldin and Fitz plays ahead of him!!

BJ drops too many passes, true. I wonder if that would improve if BJ was a starter with more reps. I agree that it's mental, so I'm thinking that he has added pressure every time he has to catch a ball, because he gets fewer reps.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Here are the stats on our three wideouts this past year:

Boldin was targeted 152 times and dropped 5 passes

Fitz was targeted 111 times and dropped 5 passes

Johnson was targeted 75 times and dropped 4 passes


**** Johnson does not have the exceptional skills of Boldin and Fitz, but certainly is not "skillet hands".

It was said when Johnson came out of Penn State that it would a few more years to fully adjust to the Pro game given his College background. Well, his 40catches this year averaged 18.5 yards (third in the league), and would seem to indicate that he's coming into his own. L. McCoy, who is a project from a small school, is at least a few seasons away, if ever, from replacing Bryant J.

And anyone who can divine the future and say that Johnson will always drop key passes, etc. etc. - I invite them to give me next week's winning Loto numbers

 

[BigRedArk]

Here are the stats on our three wideouts this past year:

Boldin was targeted 152 times and dropped 5 passes

Fitz was targeted 111 times and dropped 5 passes

Johnson was targeted 75 times and dropped 4 passes


**** Johnson does not have the exceptional skills of Boldin and Fitz, but certainly is not "skillet hands".

It was said when Johnson came out of Penn State that it would a few more years to fully adjust to the Pro game given his College background. Well, his 40catches this year averaged 18.5 yards (third in the league), and would seem to indicate that he's coming into his own. L. McCoy, who is a project from a small school, is at least a few seasons away, if ever, from replacing Bryant J.

And anyone who can divine the future and say that Johnson will always drop key passes, etc. etc. - I invite them to give me next week's winning Loto numbers

It is possible that he can break through this year CC. I hope he does. I hope he lights up the scoreboard at least a couple of times nearly every game. Nothing would make me happier and I would gladly eat crow if he does.

However sometimes stats lie. He has a history of dropping crucial passes (most of them when he was wide open TD's right in his hands) at the most inopportune times. He drops them at crucial times that drain this team of momentum when it is attempting to crawl out of an early game hole it dug itself into. This is a fair criticism of him IMHO.

 

[cardsfanmd]

this whole conversation i am hear is ******** imo. BJ has performed evry bit as good as big imobut we all want big (who statistically had the worst year of his career--8 sacks/11 penalties) back. Where is all the crying over Calvin Pace? Bj is a bust because he isnt better than fitz or boldin, give me a break. he would start on 95% of the teams in this league. Everytime i get on this board i hear people crying about how bj sucks, he has bricks for hands and we need a speedier third reciever. Yes, a guy who could stretch the field better would be great, but its not bj's fault that the cards organization chose 3 possession recievers. Furthermore check the stats, he dropped 4 passes last year. granted they were big drops but as a reciever in my day i can tell you for a fact that when you are used to catching passes thrown by a right handed guy a southpaw's pass will seem like it is trying to run from you. He only dropped a small percentage of passes more than fitz, who in my opinion has quite possibly the best hand in football. Cut the guy some slack. The bottom line is that we have one of the top 3 recieving corps in football. isn't there another position that we can cry about?

 

[BACH]

this whole conversation i am hear is ******** imo. BJ has performed evry bit as good as big imobut we all want big (who statistically had the worst year of his career--8 sacks/11 penalties) back. Where is all the crying over Calvin Pace? Bj is a bust because he isnt better than fitz or boldin, give me a break. he would start on 95% of the teams in this league. Everytime i get on this board i hear people crying about how bj sucks, he has bricks for hands and we need a speedier third reciever. Yes, a guy who could stretch the field better would be great, but its not bj's fault that the cards organization chose 3 possession recievers. Furthermore check the stats, he dropped 4 passes last year. granted they were big drops but as a reciever in my day i can tell you for a fact that when you are used to catching passes thrown by a right handed guy a southpaw's pass will seem like it is trying to run from you. He only dropped a small percentage of passes more than fitz, who in my opinion has quite possibly the best hand in football. Cut the guy some slack. The bottom line is that we have one of the top 3 recieving corps in football. isn't there another position that we can cry about?

Technically, only 87% of the teams. I don't think he would be able to surpass Houshmanwhatever, Wayne and Terry Glenn as a starters.

 

[PJ1]

Technically, only 87% of the teams. I don't think he would be able to surpass Houshmanwhatever, Wayne and Terry Glenn as a starters.

You mean Housyourmamma.

 

[ArizonaElvis]

In my opinion, you can't learn "hands" at the pro level. Either you can catch or you can't. Johnson will always drop critical passes. We need to replace him.

Of course you cant learn hands but you can learn concentration and that's what controls your hands! He has gotten better but he definately needs to work on the concentration!

 

[earthsci]

Of course you cant learn hands...

You can. The problem with Johnson's drops was that he was trying to catch with his body.