Patriots DL: A Healthy Antonio Johnson Can Really Help Depth Inside

[PatsFans.com Article]

Patriots DL: A Healthy Antonio Johnson Can Really Help Depth Inside

Steve Balestrieri

Antonio Johnson has been a solid player on the inside of the defensive line for the Colts and Titans and if healthy can give the Patriots depth on the DL

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[SHOWTIME15]

I am sure i'll get adult friend finder if I click on that

 

[BobDigital]

Maybe. We will need to wait and see. Interesting point though and at the time no one was overly interesting in this signing due to other things going on. If he ends up being the 5th guy it would not be the worst thing in the world.

 

[patfanken]

Johnson is like a LOT of guys in the league. We disparagingly call them JAG's, but being Just Another Guy in the NFL means you are one of the best football players on the planet. The fact is that the margin between being a productive football player on a good NFL team and looking for a job in Canada is razor thin. Every year when I go to camp, I am always incredibly impressed by some of the athletes I see on the field early in camp, who I KNOW have no chance to make the team. We forget how good theses guys actually are compared to 90% of their peers.

As for Johnson, this could be a guy who becomes a key rotational player for the Pats come October, or he could just as easily be well on his way to starting his "entrepreneurial activities", by September. That's what's makes the game so interesting, the margin is so thin and risk of injury so great, you just never know who are going to be those "key players" in April. Hell, you barely have a clue at the end of September

Nice story though. He seems like a hard working level headed guy. Those are the guys they like here, for the most part

 

[mgteich]

Johnson is like a LOT of guys in the league. We disparagingly call them JAG's, but being Just Another Guy in the NFL means you are one of the best football players on the planet. The fact is that the margin between being a productive football player on a good NFL team and looking for a job in Canada is razor thin. Every year when I go to camp, I am always incredibly impressed by some of the athletes I see on the field early in camp, who I KNOW have no chance to make the team. We forget how good theses guys actually are compared to 90% of their peers.

As for Johnson, this could be a guy who becomes a key rotational player for the Pats come October, or he could just as easily be well on his way to starting his "entrepreneurial activities", by September. That's what's makes the game so interesting, the margin is so thin and risk of injury so great, you just never know who are going to be those "key players" in April. Hell, you barely have a clue at the end of September

Nice story though. He seems like a hard working level headed guy. Those are the guys they like here, for the most part

What makes him intriguing as our 3rd big guy is that he has considerable experience.

 

[patfanken]

What makes him intriguing as our 3rd big guy is that he has considerable experience.

Interesting you mention this because I'm starting to think about it more. Experience is one of the greatest values yet we are seemingly willing to discard it more and more in recent years.

I read a blurb that mentioned that with 14 players currently 30 or over, the Bears are the oldest teams in the league. There were about 4 with 12 like the Jets, and on the other hand 3 or 4 with only 4 players 30 or over. Think about it, that 4 out of 90 or so players. I can recall a time the 70's and 80's where maybe half your starters where 30 or older and people would think you were better off for it.

Now if you have anything approaching 15% of your 90 man roister, your team is considered old. Ah me, just another example of the elderly getting devalued in our society.

 

[everlong]

The NFL veteran minimum is forcing players out of the league younger and younger. To survive after 30 you have to be a solid starter at worst. Why pay a backup safety and special teams player 970K when you can get 95% of the performance for 435K and use that money elsewhere.

0 $435,000
1 $510,000
2 $585,000
3 $660,000
4-6 $745,000
7-9 $870,000
10+ $970,000

 

[mgteich]

The NFL veteran minimum is forcing players out of the league younger and younger. To survive after 30 you have to be a solid starter at worst. Why pay a backup safety and special teams player 970K when you can get 95% of the performance for 435K and use that money elsewhere.

0 $435,000
1 $510,000
2 $585,000
3 $660,000
4-6 $745,000
7-9 $870,000
10+ $970,000

You have listed the minimum salaries. Not all of this money counts against the cap. There is a veteran discount if the contract is for only one year and the bonus is under the bonus max.

http://overthecap.com/explaining-the-minimum-salary-benefit/

 

[Ross12]

Could be similar to the Siliga pickup. He was just a "JAG" on the Broncos but turned into a gem here.

 

[jah]

The NFL veteran minimum is forcing players out of the league younger and younger. To survive after 30 you have to be a solid starter at worst. Why pay a backup safety and special teams player 970K when you can get 95% of the performance for 435K and use that money elsewhere.

0 $435,000
1 $510,000
2 $585,000
3 $660,000
4-6 $745,000
7-9 $870,000
10+ $970,000

On the flip side, this allows for some young players to be given a chance they may not have been given if similar veteran options cost the same. It's all a balancing act, ultimately.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Could be similar to the Siliga pickup. He was just a "JAG" on the Broncos but turned into a gem here.

Johnson was a weird situation.

He has 5 decent years in Indy. Based on what I had read, Pagano wanted more of a 3-4 DT and not a 4-3 on (which is what Johnson is better at I guess). He goes to TN on a 1 year deal in 2013. Plays well. Signs a multi-year deal in March of 2014, gets hurt and they settle with him to get lost.

Unlike Siliga before he arrived here Johnson has produced at the NFL level so at the very least the Pats know what they are getting.

Maybe BB goes 2 for 2 on miscast TN reclamation projects (Ayers being the other one).

I like the pickup. Hopefully he plays well here.

 

[cstjohn17]

From the outside it seems like this years version of the veteran offensive lineman they sign who gets cut before training camp starts. I wish him luck but have modest expectations.

 

[mgteich]

From the outside it seems like this years version of the veteran offensive lineman they sign who gets cut before training camp starts. I wish him luck but have modest expectations.

The situations are different. The veteran offensive lineman RETIRES before camp.

 

[cstjohn17]

The situations are different. The veteran offensive lineman RETIRES before camp.

Ahh.. thank you, I forgot that detail, nice catch. Pretty funny to watch these off season cycles through a 10 or 15 year lens.