Thoughts on Malcom Jenkins?
I kept going back and forth on Jenkins when I was doing a mock offseason. In the end I went against him because I think he is simply too inconsistent for this team. He is a typical boom or bust type prospect because he has the physical talent. He is a good athlete, can make plays and can hit, but he is a poor tackler, takes horrible angles, isn't great in man coverage and has never lived up to the potential. I really like his talent but I doubt his high risk style of play would work too well with Belichick.
If I am the Pats the guy I go after extremely hard is Michael Johnson. He seems like the perfect fit and ticks all the boxes of what the Pats look for in edge rusher.
- He has elite size for the position. 6'7" 270lbs with long arms and fantastic length (he batted down 9 passes last season).
- He is a fantastic, explosive athlete. Ran a 4.69 40 at the NFL combine with a 1.54 10 yard split. He also had a 38.5" vert, 10'8" broad jump and 28 reps.
- He is extremely versatile and can play both 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB. Last season he graded out as the #2 run defending DE in the NFL so he is excellent in that area, using his long arms and strong anchor to set the edge. In 2012 he had 11.5 sacks showing his pass rush ability. While that number dropped to 3.5 (due to different responsibilities after the injury to Geno Atkins) he still increased his number of QB pressures. He also has the athleticism to drop into coverage which he did 31 times last season.
- He's a proven NFL talent with 2 seasons of very high production. While he stood out in 2012 for his 11.5 sacks, he was perhaps even better in 2013 although the box score might not show it. In 2013 he tied the Bengals team lead with 40 quarterback hurries, and his 61 total pressures ranked 14th among all 4-3 defensive ends in the NFL. As an edge setter he also graded out as Pro Football Focus' No. 2 4-3 defensive end in run defense. While also adding 56 tackles (34 solo), 3 run stuffs, 9 passes batted and an interception.
- He is a team leader that is well liked and respected by his teammates
Johnson is well liked and respected by his teammates, and often speaks to reporters with an authenticity that you rarely see anymore.
Cincinnati Bengals mailbag: Is Michael Johnson replaceable? - ESPN
- He is an excellent scheme fit, allowing the Pats to play in just about any defensive alignment and would compliment Chandler Jones and Ninko very well.
This is what Mike Zimmer, former Bengals defensive Coordinator had to say about Michael Johnson (before he got the Vikings head coaching job).
"I have a ton of respect for him," defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said. "I remember when he came here he had a lot of things said about him when he came out of college; he wouldn’t finish, he didn’t do this or didn’t do that, but Michael has become a good football player. He’s very conscientious, he plays extremely hard. He’s one of these guys that we’ve build up into what we’re looking for here, the kind of guys that we want, the kind of personalities, the kind of caring about one another in the locker room. I can’t say enough good things about him … hopefully, we’ll get him back. If not, I know that Michael will be successful wherever he goes."
Mike Zimmer wants Michael Johnson back, who figures to be a top free agent - Cincy Jungle
This is a guy I want on my team.
The Pats reportedly would have gone after Johnson if he became available last offseason, I really hope they do this time. They will have to open their wallet but they certainly have the cap space (or can easily get it) if they want to. It's not often you get such a well rounded player that can play the run, rush the passer, bat balls at the line of scrimmage and drop into coverage so I hope BB takes advantage of this opportunity. I think this guy is the real deal.
