Excellent "feel good" article on Anthony Johnson

[Mike the Brit]

Yes, I know, you can't have a "break-out" game in week 2 of the pre-season against the Bears, but, if you want reasons to believe that the Pats might have found a diamond in the dust, this article will encourage you:

How Patriots DT Anthony 'Freak' Johnson became a 'totally different person' in effort to revive career​

 

[IllegalContact]

dude's awesome

 

[PatsFan37]

Yes, I know, you can't have a "break-out" game in week 2 of the pre-season against the Bears, but, if you want reasons to believe that the Pats might have found a diamond in the dust, this article will encourage you:

How Patriots DT Anthony 'Freak' Johnson became a 'totally different person' in effort to revive career​

Nice article.
I know Belichick's defense is complex and it can take a while for a DL to pick it up, so as you point out, judging performance in a game where neither side is scheming can fool you into believing someone is better than they are. Nonetheless it seems to me that an inside pass rusher is more about pure talent than positions like LB and safety. A DL depends on quickness and explosive strength to beat his man. If he has that and the patience to learn the scheme he can be a real find. We'll find out if they keep him (seems likely) and put him in the rotation.

 

[Love The Drake]

He's been a Binkie let's keep it up

 

[50-yard-line]

Interior pressure wins games.

Johnson will be playing somewhere this year - I hope it's here.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If he can fill in that Jarvis Green/Mike Wright/Easley role as the penetrating DT that'll be so huge for this defense.

 

[IllegalContact]

If he can fill in that Jarvis Green/Mike Wright/Easley role as the penetrating DT that'll be so huge for this defense.

with his mobility/size combo, he could see lots of snaps at DE

he was projected as a 2nd/3rd rounder even when he was too fat and appeared to have a crappy attitude......if he's gotten his act together, the pats may have well found a diamond

 

[AtomicDawg]

Good for him. Sometimes it takes a little hunger and determination to push you through.
For 280 lbs he showed some quickness in that last game. Not exactly a quick first step like Easley but good closing speed and motor.

Also cool dance moves:

 

[RobertWeathers]

with his mobility/size combo, he could see lots of snaps at DE

he was projected as a 2nd/3rd rounder even when he was too fat and appeared to have a crappy attitude......if he's gotten his act together, the pats may have well found a diamond

Yep- For the hell of it I looked up his combine numbers. If he did this at 308lb and is now at 275, I would assume just like his 40time (he says 4.8 so ok), all of his other measureables should have come down dramatically.

Based on the below, I think you are right. If need be he does have the quickness to play DE in the 4-3. Maybe even DE in the 3-4 in the dime.

Hope he continues to do well.

Johnson

Height: 6024
Weight: 308
40 Yrd Dash: 5.24
20 Yrd Dash: 3.05
10 Yrd Dash: 1.82
Vertical Jump: 24 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'06"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.83
3-Cone Drill: 7.93

Jabaal Sheard

Height: 6027
Weight: 264
40 Yrd Dash: 4.73
20 Yrd Dash: 2.77
10 Yrd Dash: 1.68
Vertical Jump: 31
Broad Jump: 09'07"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.65
3-Cone Drill: 7.34

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Great article

 

[BobDigital]

DT pass rush is something that is hard to get and you don't let it go when you have it. If he shows anything close to what he did against Chicago to Carolina you keep him on this team.

 

[patfanken]

We really need someone to take over the Easely/Hicks role as the inside penetrator. It looks like Bill found that guy.

 

[willard]

Other than sliding some of the DE inside is there anyone else on the roster? Grissom does not seem to have grabbed the reins.

 

[50-yard-line]

Other than sliding some of the DE inside is there anyone else on the roster? Grissom does not seem to have grabbed the reins.

Grissom might be just a bit too small for that role. I remain amazed at how a guy listed at 265 can push around much bigger, 300+lb linemen, though.

They'll find a role for Grissom, I think.

 

[Mack Herron]

They were only a few plays, but you have to go back decades to find another Patriot capable of making them. I think they were truly off the charts freakish in combining speed, quickness and power. He's on my roster.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Grissom might be just a bit too small for that role. I remain amazed at how a guy listed at 265 can push around much bigger, 300+lb linemen, though.

They'll find a role for Grissom, I think.

As food for thought, the Patriots worked Grissom out at TE, and he did as well as, if not better than, any actual TE.

 

[Mike the Brit]

As food for thought, the Patriots worked Grissom out at TE, and he did as well as, if not better than, any actual TE.

I didn't know that. The second coming of Jake Bequette?

 

[bbobbo]

As food for thought, the Patriots worked Grissom out at TE, and he did as well as, if not better than, any actual TE.

was it just as a blocking TE, or receiving too?

 

[Mike the Brit]

was it just as a blocking TE, or receiving too?

Bill Belichick: Geneo Grissom's Pro Day workout at tight end was 'as good as we saw all year'​

 

[jah]

I didn't know that. The second coming of Jake Bequette?

So far, he does kind of seem like that but not in a good way. 3rd round DE #92, never sees the field. Of course, he's already shown more than Bequette ever did. But I don't like those anecdotal parallels. They give me a bad feeling (albeit one rooted in no amount of logic).