Josh on Johnson

[Redheart]

Last night was a treat. Josh was on "Open Mike" on AM860. The conversation and phone calls went on for almost 2 hours!

Josh talked about a lot of things and handled several calls from the listeners.

I really liked his sense of humor and wit. Thats right, wit. This kid has a brain...so refreshing from "bonehead". He was also, understandably, excited when asked about the latest news from Green that he did not foresee draft a QB in the first couple of rounds.

The interview was fun and they even got Freddy Jones on the line to try and give Josh a hard time. It is clear the Josh and Freddy are close friends...lots of love between those two.

Two callers jumped out in the conversations.

The first threw a fast ball at Josh and said he believed the Cardinals gave him the opportunity to start the last games so that they could lose and get the 1st pick overall and draft a QB and what did he think of THAT! It went really quiet for a couple of moments, and then Josh laughed and said he felt sorry for the caller for disappointing him.

The second caller asked what Josh thought of Johnson being a bust after his first year's performance. Josh would not have any of that and pointed out several things; Johnson did not have a bad rookie season; that he was late to camp and that had an effect; that there is a huge benefit in your second year in the league because you now are able to concentrate on your profession all year and in the off-season and don't have school-related distractions. All in all, Josh was very supportive of Johnson and expects him to have a much better 2nd year.

He also said he is in contact with him and the other receivers and plans to work together in the off-season to make the best of this opportunity.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by Redheart
The second caller asked what Josh thought of Johnson being a bust after his first year's performance. Josh would not have any of that and pointed out several things; Johnson did not have a bad rookie season; that he was late to camp and that had an effect; that there is a huge benefit in your second year in the league because you now are able to concentrate on your profession all year and in the off-season and don't have school-related distractions. All in all, Josh was very supportive of Johnson and expects him to have a much better 2nd year.

He also said he is in contact with him and the other receivers and plans to work together in the off-season to make the best of this opportunity.

Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year. He didnt. 35 catches as a rookie is about par for the course. You can look just about any starting WR right now in the NFL and see their rookie season was not 90 catches 1500 yards. It just rarely happens.

I think Johnson will be fine and will turn out to be good. Lets bring down the expectations guys. Not every rookie has a seaosn like Quan, or Kearse, or Freeney. It is the exception, not the rule

 

[azdad1978]

Re: Re: Josh on Johnson

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year. He didnt. 35 catches as a rookie is about par for the course. You can look just about any starting WR right now in the NFL and see their rookie season was not 90 catches 1500 yards. It just rarely happens.

I think Johnson will be fine and will turn out to be good. Lets bring down the expectations guys. Not every rookie has a seaosn like Quan, or Kearse, or Freeney. It is the exception, not the rule

 

[azdad1978]

Re: Re: Josh on Johnson

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year. He didnt. 35 catches as a rookie is about par for the course. You can look just about any starting WR right now in the NFL and see their rookie season was not 90 catches 1500 yards. It just rarely happens.

I think Johnson will be fine and will turn out to be good. Lets bring down the expectations guys. Not every rookie has a seaosn like Quan, or Kearse, or Freeney. It is the exception, not the rule

People keeps on forgetting that Johnson came out of a program where they rarely threw the ball. Plus he's a slow learner. If he turns out like Moulds watch out cause with Quan having a great year next year Johnson will see a lot of single coverages.

 

[Stout]

Re: Re: Re: Josh on Johnson

Originally posted by azdad1978
People keeps on forgetting that Johnson came out of a program where they rarely threw the ball. Plus he's a slow learner. If he turns out like Moulds watch out cause with Quan having a great year next year Johnson will see a lot of single coverages.

*Shaft Music* 'Ye're daaaaaamn right!'

 

[JeffGollin]

Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year.
It wasn't that Johnson had a bad year for a rookie. It's that both he and Pace didn't have the kinds of years you expect from mid-first round draft picks.

I keep coming back to the issue of whether a team is better off with 2 decent players or one very good player.

The Cards desperately needed a premier receiver to replace Boston and someone who could rush the passer.

Pace wasn't a deluxe pass rusher in his rookie year. And the best we can say about BJ is that he "didn't have a bad year."

There wouldn't be so much buzz by Cardinal fans about Roy Williams or Fitzgerald if everyone thought Johnson had really filled the void as a #1 wideout.

 

[Skkorpion]

I have another opinion on Bryant Johnson. He seems to be a sensitive, quiet guy.

And Jerry Sullivan, his WR coach, is an in-your-face sarcastic yeller. A change of WR coach may do wonders for Johnson.

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year.


The Cards desperately needed a premier receiver to replace Boston

David Boston

Bryant Johnson


But we DID replace David Boston.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Yeah I am not sure why so many on this baord think Johnson had a bad year.
It wasn't that Johnson had a bad year for a rookie. It's that both he and Pace didn't have the kinds of years you expect from mid-first round draft picks.

I keep coming back to the issue of whether a team is better off with 2 decent players or one very good player.

The Cards desperately needed a premier receiver to replace Boston and someone who could rush the passer.

Pace wasn't a deluxe pass rusher in his rookie year. And the best we can say about BJ is that he "didn't have a bad year."

There wouldn't be so much buzz by Cardinal fans about Roy Williams or Fitzgerald if everyone thought Johnson had really filled the void as a #1 wideout.

But why do you think Johnson cant be a good WR? You think he is slow, cant catch what? He had 35 catches on a team where another WR had 101 catches and a TE had 55.

All I am saying is he didnt not disappoint me b/c I have realistic expectation on what a rookie WR , regardless of where he was taken, can do. He has the speed, the size and the hands to get it done. I am not sure what everyone is complaining about.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I've been wondering this for quite awhile, but has Johnson had his vision tested over the past year?

Reason why I pose this is because there's quite a few WR (Herman Moore immediately comes to mind) who struggled their rookie season and then finally got their vision corrected (either being fitted with contacts or RK)....Once they did that their over-all play improved considerably.....

 

[azdad1978]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
But why do you think Johnson cant be a good WR? You think he is slow, cant catch what? He had 35 catches on a team where another WR had 101 catches and a TE had 55.

All I am saying is he didnt not disappoint me b/c I have realistic expectation on what a rookie WR , regardless of where he was taken, can do. He has the speed, the size and the hands to get it done. I am not sure what everyone is complaining about.

I'm not complaining, I think he might have a breakout year esp being on Green's system.

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by KingLouieLouie
I've been wondering this for quite awhile, but has Johnson had his vision tested over the past year?

Reason why I pose this is because there's quite a few WR (Herman Moore immediately comes to mind) who struggled their rookie season and then finally got their vision corrected (either being fitted with contacts or RK)....Once they did that their over-all play improved considerably.....

That's one of the first things Houston did with Andre Johnson last year.

 

[azdad1978]

Originally posted by KingLouieLouie
I've been wondering this for quite awhile, but has Johnson had his vision tested over the past year?

Reason why I pose this is because there's quite a few WR (Herman Moore immediately comes to mind) who struggled their rookie season and then finally got their vision corrected (either being fitted with contacts or RK)....Once they did that their over-all play improved considerably.....

But is there an indication that his vision is blurred?

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
It wasn't that Johnson had a bad year for a rookie. It's that both he and Pace didn't have the kinds of years you expect from mid-first round draft picks.

Maybe you're just off your game today, Jeff. Johnson had exactly the kind of rookie season that you'd expect from a mid-round Wideout:

Ashley Lelie
Donte Stallworth
Koren Robinson
Javon Walker

He may not have produced what the Cards needed from that 1st round pick, but they expected the world from a position that typically doesn't contribute much. ESPN Insider did a front-page story about how well the rooks in the Desert were doing.

 

[azdad1978]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Maybe you're just off your game today, Jeff. Johnson had exactly the kind of rookie season that you'd expect from a mid-round Wideout:

Ashley Lelie
Donte Stallworth
Koren Robinson
Javon Walker

He may not have produced what the Cards needed from that 1st round pick, but they expected the world from a position that typically doesn't contribute much. ESPN Insider did a front-page story about how well the rooks in the Desert were doing.

Lelie might be a bust if he can't stay healthy on the field. Robinson exploded on his third year. Walker did ok last year. and Stallworth is like Lelie, a fragile WR that is always hurt. But they all have the talent but it takes time for these 1st round WR to contribute right away.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by azdad1978
it takes time for these 1st round WR to contribute right away.

Sounds like a yogi-ism.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Originally posted by azdad1978
But is there an indication that his vision is blurred?

If memory serves me correctly, didn't he have several instances in which he ran the wrong pattern or dropped quite a few passes?

Yeah, it could be since he was a rookie trying to grasp the NFL game, but sometimes it could be beyond that.....

Perhaps he has poor peripheral vision?

I know this has been brought-up several times before, but I guess everyone thinks that Johnson had a subpar year basing everything on how Anquan excelled.....I agree that Johnson will improve under Green and co....

I would much rather go out and sign a proven veteran possesion WR who would take the pressure off Anquan than draft one who it might take a couple years to develop into a NFL caliber WR....

 

[100%CardsFan]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
David Boston

Bryant Johnson


But we DID replace David Boston.

 

[azdad1978]

Originally posted by Pariah
Sounds like a yogi-ism.

 

[vikesfan]

Originally posted by kerouac9
Maybe you're just off your game today, Jeff. Johnson had exactly the kind of rookie season that you'd expect from a mid-round Wideout:

Ashley Lelie
Donte Stallworth
Koren Robinson
Javon Walker

He may not have produced what the Cards needed from that 1st round pick, but they expected the world from a position that typically doesn't contribute much. ESPN Insider did a front-page story about how well the rooks in the Desert were doing.

I wouldnt have drafted any of those guys either. You are wasting a pick. You could have added a guy like Steinbach or Bailey/Barnett with that 1st rounder. The fact you traded down to get him makes it worse.

We'll find out this year. No more excuses.

 

[Northern Card]

Re: Re: Re: Josh on Johnson

Originally posted by azdad1978
(Johnson) "Plus he's a slow learner."

What does this mean?

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by vikesfan
I wouldnt have drafted any of those guys either. You are wasting a pick. You could have added a guy like Steinbach or Bailey/Barnett with that 1st rounder. The fact you traded down to get him makes it worse.

We'll find out this year. No more excuses.

I guess, dude. What'd you think about Kevin Williams? Was he the instant contributor and playmaker you expected? I didn't hear a lot about him in the ROY discussion.

Barnett is the player that I wanted in retrospect instead of Pace. The Cards put B. Johnson in a bad position by not having any established WRs to sit in front of him and help him learn.

Believe it or not, just because a 1st round pick isn't a Pro Bowler in his first two seasons, he's not a bust.

 

[AZCB34]

Johnson was the 3rd WR taken and was 3rd in recptions for rookies this year.

I fully expect Johnson will improve over this offseason since he is out of the growing pains of NFL rookies...Quan was the exception by far rather than the rule...and I would guess that Green's system will put Johnson in positions to make plays.

Last year, I feel like Sullivan was so over his head as OC, that he expected more from Johnson than was realistic.

Johnson isn't a bust but I expect him to vastly improve from this past season.

 

[vikesfan]

Originally posted by kerouac9
I guess, dude. What'd you think about Kevin Williams? Was he the instant contributor and playmaker you expected? I didn't hear a lot about him in the ROY discussion.

Barnett is the player that I wanted in retrospect instead of Pace. The Cards put B. Johnson in a bad position by not having any established WRs to sit in front of him and help him learn.

Believe it or not, just because a 1st round pick isn't a Pro Bowler in his first two seasons, he's not a bust.

K Williams 10 sacks. And many people in the media thought he was the Defensive Rookie of the Year... and virtually no one said he was not a contender. You have to hit on picks. Last year we got McKinnie 10 year starter at a key position LT protecting the QB.

There are no guarantees. But there are patterns. Recognize the patterns. Your first round pick should be a solid starter at least. Yes he could bust too. But good teams and good GMs hit on players more often then not. You won't always hit but you better hit a lot of the time if you want to win.

The Cards recent history has been taking guys who have not developed after 1 year. 2 years or 3 years even. I hope Johnson busts out.
But hoping your #1 pick busts out year after year is not a good thing.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by vikesfan
The Cards recent history has been taking guys who have not developed after 1 year. 2 years or 3 years even. I hope Johnson busts out.
But hoping your #1 pick busts out year after year is not a good thing.

This I agree on. I just think that it's not fair to be hypercritical of the guy that was a high-risk, developmental prospect to begin with. We took him 5-8 spots too high, and hoped that two nobody Undrafted Free Agents were going to become solid starters.

I don't need 100 catches, 1300 yards, and 18 TDs from BJ to make me happy. 75 grabs, 800 yards, and 9 TDs would be a solid 2nd year effort from this guy. Pace (the other part of the equation) better get along the lines of 8 sacks and be an extremely disruptive force off the edge to justify his pick.