Door Opening For Tyler Johnson
April 20th, 2021
Bucs WR Tyler Johnson.
Two rookies last year showed Joe enough to maintain hope.
One was Ke’Shawn Vaughn, the way he smoothly scored a touchdown against the Chargers after taking a pass from park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Alas, one play does not make a career. It also told Joe the Bucs understand Vaughn needs to show more the way Bucco Bruce Arians deactivated him for three playoff games and jumped at the chance to sign Giovani Bernard.
The other rookie made quite a few clutch catches, but also missed some cans of corn. That would be Tyler Johnson. But hey, rookies are often inconsistent.
Joe loved how Johnson used football smarts to help sell an interference call that basically helped the Bucs win the NFC title game in Green Bay. Well done.
Michael Baca of NFL.com types that this could be a big year for Johnson because of a very real possibility that furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing receiver Antonio Brown may not return. So Johnson should get more snaps and more targets. And if Johnson shines, the Bucs may be comfortable if Chris Godwin walks away if he’s offered the moon of a free agent contract next offseason.
… getting Johnson some more reps this season is ideal in order to prep him for a bigger role in the future.
Let Joe be clear: Joe does not want to see Godwin walk. However, Joe gets what Baca suggested; if Johnson has a breakout season in 2021, the bitter pill of Godwin leaving for riches will be easier to swallow.
Joe knows Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians loves Johnson. Hopefully, his glowing scouting report of Johnson from the 2020 Outback Bowl pans out this fall.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:05 am
Arians is not a huge fan of rookies, in general. Winfield and Wirfs were exceptions. He gravitates toward veterans…as did the last SB-winning Bucs’ coach.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:11 am
Every guy making top dollar at his position is in jeopardy every season because of the cap. Basically the whole OL outside wirfs, shaq, evans, gronk, and maybe godwin. If dead money’s gone you could be too. Just the reality of getting paid. I still wouldnt mind being in that spot.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:11 am
Not so much that. Look how often Arians goes to bat for rookies. Arians raves about Johnson but that doesn’t mean he’s going to gift Johnson a starting role.
Difference between Arians and Chucky is, Arians knows his window is about to close. Would it shock anyone if Arians retired after this year? Arians after the Super Bowl several times didn’t commit to 2022. “We’ll see.”
So Arians wants guys he can bank on; guys that have established themselves, because this may be his last rodeo.
Chucky just didn’t like rookies and it is a big reason why he got canned here.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:16 am
I am excited to see Johnson a lot more of the season. He looks like he can be really good. He was awesome in college.
The way it plays out in my mind… They win the Super Bowl, Bruce Arians retires, Bowles takes over as head coach and BL runs the offense with Brady (Who remarkably does not retire until he’s 54)
April 20th, 2021 at 9:28 am
He made a couple of phenomenal grabs last year. He just needs more time on the field to get that needed experience. This offense is loaded, and it all works because of the man under center. I hope TB’s knee heals nicely and there are no lingering effects of the surgery when the season begins.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:33 am
Like to see this guy get more reps,……….still want AB though.
April 20th, 2021 at 9:55 am
agree with robert
i would like to see TJ and SM get more reps but i want ME,CG & AB as the starting 3 WRs…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 20th, 2021 at 10:15 am
No real off season last year set most rookies back. I expect Johnson to improve the way Rojo has. Him, scooter, Watson, and a draft loaded with receivers tells me A.B. is gone. Matter of fact some mocks have us drafting a receiver from Ol Miss with our first pick. I would not be opposed to that, with Godwin on a one year deal.
April 20th, 2021 at 10:59 am
Tyler is ready , I wouldn’t mind having AB back but I feel his mindset isn’t the same from last season not as humbled. Which leads me to the return of Oj Howard… if he stays healthy his production should be better than AB’s in this scheme #WontMissABeat #GoBucs
April 20th, 2021 at 11:19 am
I like Tyler Johnson but Bucs have to draft another WR to replace AB.
April 20th, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Joe: raving about rookies and playing them are two different dimensions to Arians.
He’s “not a fan” as in, he prefers to play veterans first. We say the same thing.
Gruden saw rookies as necessary evils with few exceptions. Arians knows they are the future, but also knows it’s hard to win with a bunch of rookies, and “win now” and “rookies” have little overlap on a Venn diagram…
A major difference between Gruden and Arians is Gruden did little player development, and Arians understands the need but has a difficult balance of “player development” and “win now.”
April 20th, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Drafting that interesting WR from Ole Miss would seal Brown’s fate as a Buccaneer.
April 20th, 2021 at 3:32 pm
This is why we do not need AB. That catch in the playoffs was off the charts. He got better as he got more comfortable. A WR learning curve in the NFL is like 2 years. He is a solid player.
April 20th, 2021 at 7:46 pm
Don’t see wide receiver as a big need in this draft. Neither a running back too. Oline and Dline big fast heavy hitters. And a tough fast line backer. First three picks for defense. Later picks for specialist kick returner and gunner.