Leonard Johnson Reportedly Signs With Bucs
April 28th, 2012
Listed as the top-rated cornerback not to be drafted this weekend, Joe has learned that Iowa State cornerback Leonard Johnson is expected to sign a free agent contract with the Bucs.
Bobby La Gesse, the sports editor of the Ames (Iowa) Tribune, Twittered tonight that Johnson and the Bucs have come to terms.
@BobbyLaGesse: Leonard Johnson signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay. He’ll play for Greg Schiano, the coach he faced in the Pinstripe Bowl in Dec.
There’s another player that played against Schiano. That’s three today by Joe’s count.
Why is Joe posting an article on Johnson? He’s sort of a local prep legend. In his junior and senior years, Johnson quarterbacked his high school team, the Largo Packers, to the state semifinals only to lose each time to national powerhouse Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
April 28th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
He was projected to go in the mid rounds. I’m guessing his height and 40 time(just under 5’10 and 4.6) pushed him out of the draft but from everything I’ve read about him he is physical, aggressive and tough. Same scouting report says he’s a hard worker and very mature. He definitely sounds like a Schiano type of player. I would be worried about my roster spot if I’m Biggers, Lewis, and Gaitor(if they weren’t already because of Tandy).
April 28th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
our secondary is in makeover mode looks to be more physical these guys dont loaf lol
April 28th, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Saw a couple of this guys tapes and can see why he went undrafted. He showed good instincts at times but was targeted alot by Qb’s because of his size. I think he was also more made out to play tampa 2 and different zone coverages because thats what he played in college mostly and is not a good matchup against bigger recievers in man. I hope he proves me wrong but I don’t see much here.
April 28th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Very strange that LJ went undrafted. Some had him going in the second round.
Right this very second, not knowing the defense, he is leaps and bounds ahead of E (eluded by) J (Julio Jones) Biggers – the NFL’s worst corner.
April 28th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
I can’t be on-board with the slight on E.J. Biggers. A lot of good CBs get e-luded by J-Jones. He may not be an elite corner, but he’s not rubbish, either. And who knows what some of our guys might be capable of with pro-level instruction, legitimate schemes and competent gameplans.
April 28th, 2012 at 11:38 pm
Forgive Thomas 2.2. he’s an attorney and sees everything in tunnel vision.
April 28th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Lol^
April 28th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Thomas you do know that ej biggers was a seventh round pick right? And he actually played pretty well in 2010 when he was asked to cover the teams no.3 receiver not the no1. Like in 2011.
April 28th, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Biggers is probably ok but Mack and Gaitor better step up
April 28th, 2012 at 11:58 pm
Thomas 2.2 ???
April 29th, 2012 at 12:02 am
Ill take him! im loving this draft! this is the best draft we have had a in a long time…
April 29th, 2012 at 12:12 am
I heard we got tyler shoemaker that is my favorite udfa so far
April 29th, 2012 at 12:24 am
Biggers was and still is a total waste of a roster spot. All you “fans”, please watch tape of Biggers and check scouting reports. You will see that he’d be lucky to have a backup role with an arena team.
April 29th, 2012 at 1:42 am
Yeah I have to agree, Biggers speed is all he has for him, but when covering the #3 WR he’s good to have.
April 29th, 2012 at 1:45 am
We should have signed Chase Ford, at 6’7 255 he seems worthy to try out. Miami has been known for there TE. J.Shockey,K2,Greg Olson, Jimmy Graham. He’s worth a look.
April 29th, 2012 at 1:50 am
Looks like Chase Ford signed with the Eagles.
April 29th, 2012 at 2:51 am
Curious the %of players we call up that actually end up wanting to sign here in TB. Suppose position matters but so does rep and ours has been poor in general.
I see dominik playing the Emack/Clifton smith/L Blount card heavy tonight
April 29th, 2012 at 5:04 am
You people can’t be serious, EJ Biggers is terrible. He wasn’t just getting burned by 1 and 2’s, he was getting burned by all receivers. Opposing QB’s eyes light up like a kid in a candy store when he was on the field. “All Biggers has going for him is his speed” ? Well seeing how he always 3-4 steps behind the receiver, he definitely doesn’t have that going for him either. He will be extremely lucky if his is still on the team after training camp, my guess is he will be long gone or dead last on the depth if by some snowball chance in hell he makes the roster.
April 29th, 2012 at 5:27 am
Nice little tidbit, Leonard Johnson was ranked #87 on Mayock’s top 100 draft prospect rankings. Says a lot about him. If he is a good as Mayock thinks he is, than we might just have gotten a hell of a steal.
April 29th, 2012 at 6:04 am
I’ve been pretty hard on Biggers and wanted him cut all last year. That said, he wasn’t burned last year at all…he quit on plays. The ones he did not quit on he did well on.
Go back and watch the tape. That’s why I hated him…he took a LOT of plays off.
But if he pulls that with Schiano he’ll get axed in a heartbeat. There is no harm in letting him compete for a spot.
————— ————–
“DallasBuc Says: April 29th, 2012 at 2:51 am
Curious the %of players we call up that actually end up wanting to sign here in TB. Suppose position matters but so does rep and ours has been poor in general. I see dominik playing the Emack/Clifton smith/L Blount card heavy tonight”
.
Players are no longer looking at last season. They are looking at 2010 and this off season and seeing a team that is serious about winning. The Bucs had the best draft of 32 teams (as stated by many media guys) and are considered to have had the best free agency period thus far.
National media is actually saying we will compete for the division this year.
Players WANT to come here now. Our offense alone, on paper, is good enough to reach a Superbowl this year. On paper. And if you think it can’t happen without a good defense (which we might end up having), consider the years the Raiders and Cards went.
And by the time the playoffs come, our defense might well be gelling.
April 29th, 2012 at 6:50 am
Thomas2.2 Says:
April 28th, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Very strange that LJ went undrafted. Some had him going in the second round.
Right this very second, not knowing the defense, he is leaps and bounds ahead of E (eluded by) J (Julio Jones) Biggers – the NFL’s worst corner.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
There you go again, Thomas, showing your total ignorance on the subject of football. Leonard Johnson was not drafted because he is short with short arms… and ran a 4.71 40 at the Combine. THough he improved his time at his Pro Day into the mid-4.5 range, the damage was already done and the electronic time at the Combine is far more accurate. There are NO NFL CBs that run in the 4.7’s.
April 29th, 2012 at 8:22 am
Brandon:
LJ’s official time at the combine was 4.65 – not great but not 4.71. Ronde Barber ran a 4.63 – I would say that Ronde Barber, a player with the same combine speed, played fairly well in the NFL.
LJ also plays faster, is smart, tough and opportunistic.
Mike Mayock, whose opinion we all trust more than yours, gave him a 3rd round grade in the days leading up to the draft. Some publications gave LJ a 2nd round grade.
I am not saying that LJ is the next hall of famer, but he should have been a 4th or 5th round pick – and is more of an asset than Easily Juked Biggers.
Be happy that we signed a solid zone corner as a UFA. I think that LJ will at least make the practice squad in 2012.
April 29th, 2012 at 8:30 am
Brandon: by the way:
Do you know what time EJ Biggers ran the 40 in during the combine?
Of course you dont, Biggers wasnt one of the 3 dozen corners who received an invite because he sucked so bad.
EJ Biggers is the reason 40 time is just a small piece of the analysis. Biggers is a 4.39 track guy, but put him on the field and he is lost.
April 29th, 2012 at 8:58 am
Lol @ Thomas,
Who is your least Fav Buc?
GMC, Biggers, or Quincy?
April 29th, 2012 at 9:57 am
I think combine drills should be performed in pads, including the 40. Not Bench press, but Wonderlic probably so with a schweaty helmet on.
April 29th, 2012 at 10:21 am
http://www.gbnreport.com/UFAsxposition.html
April 29th, 2012 at 10:57 am
@Stevek
#4 Biggers, he sucks , but we didn’t pay him much
#3 Black, gave him a big contract for nothing
#2 GMC becuase we paid him so much so far for nothing
and #1
“Rock Star General Manager ” Mark Dominik for signing every last one of them LMFAO!!
April 29th, 2012 at 10:59 am
Im JK I like Mark as our GM, He’s just needs to hit more than miss. lol
April 29th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
I got 3 names for ya.
Patrick Peterson TE LSU. He is big and fast and blocks well.
Cliff Harris CB Oregon. Explosive player.
Chase Minnifield-CB Virginia (dropped bc of injury)
Bolden RB Ole Miss. A hard nosed true football player. Schiano type player. He adds depth and leadership. We would then hav a true stable of backs for the future.
I think we really missed on James Hanna the TE from Oklahoma. He does everything well and he flies.
Also, DT Javon Haye from Florida.
Best drafts? Cincinati and St. Louis.
April 29th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
@ PeteDutcher
There is no way you can watch film and be able to distinguish if a player was burned or took that play off. That is plain ridiculous. Also if he was taking plays off while he still is trying to make a name for himself, he needs to be gone ASAP!! I think you need to back and watch some film buddy because it’s clear you haven’t, EJ Biggers got BURNED all year last year. You clearly weren’t watching or you are naive, or both.