Michael Johnson All But Delivered?
March 11th, 2014
NFL insiders believe this is your newest Bucs edge rusher.
Could the Bucs be on their way to finally having an edge rusher who can breathe on an opposing quarterback? Strong rumors have only gotten hotter that the Bucs and Bengals free agent defensive end Michael Johnson’s aren’t just dancing, but are about to consummate their relationship in an intimate way.
What was strongly hinted as two sides having mutual goals, it seems Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports is putting aside the “rumors” and “sources” route and is telling Bucs fans they will hear an announcement later today that the Bucs do have their stud defensive end.
@JasonLaCanfora: When the Michael Johnson signing with the Bucs becomes official, I hear the deal will average $8.5M/year with around $24M guaranteed
Well, this will be one way to quell the outrage Bucs fans have that their team is doing their best to throw all-world cornerback into the nearest retention pond. Johnson better damn well be putting quarterbacks on the ground. Or, without Revis, Joe hopes Bucs fans have plenty of liquor available because here comes the 2012 sieve of a secondary again.
March 11th, 2014 at 10:53 am
So half the Revis money is gone. Can’t wait to see Dexter McCluster and Josh McCown fill up the rest. Crown us!!!!!
March 11th, 2014 at 10:53 am
I love the signing if it goes down. Michael Johnson is a guy who alaways can disrupt the QB and bat passes down. I would love this signing more if Revis stays. Today is tainted
March 11th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Honestly at $8.5 million a year I’d much rather have Bennett. Johnson reads as much the same player, decent pass rusher (the stats with Geno Atkins are mighty frightening though), better against the run.
March 11th, 2014 at 10:57 am
I mean stats without. As in he doesn’t have more than 6 sacks in any season without playing with Geno. Not that great obviously.
March 11th, 2014 at 10:58 am
Can’t we just move Revis to DE?
March 11th, 2014 at 11:00 am
FINALLYYYY getting players at potions that matter.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Joe says
“Could the Bucs be on their way to finally having an edge rusher who can breathe on an opposing quarterback?”
“Bucs fans they will hear an announcement later today that the Bucs do have their stud defensive end.”
Based on what? His one good year two years ago? Or his 4 other years with less than 4 sacks each? Or his one year with 5.5 sacks?
The man had one good year with a good line and could not manage to repeat it. I am NOT sold on Johnson being a “stud” at all. I do think he’s better than Bowers, but not better than Clayborn.
Compare their first 3 years and Clayborn comes out ahead by one sack. And Clayborn missed 13 games, so if he had played them he would blow Johnson away.
Clayborn is on the verge of taking a leap. Tampa fans have given up on him just like they did with McCoy.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:02 am
So are we trying to trade Clayborn now?
March 11th, 2014 at 11:03 am
How is a guy that only had 3.5 sacks last year considered an edge rusher improvement when he was only the 5th best sacker on his own team?!?
Ugh, using this signing as a measuring stick, mediocrity seems to be the theme of the new regime.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Clayborn on the “verge of taking a leap?”
Off the Skyway maybe.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:04 am
If they cut Revis Wednesday it’ll be because they don’t want to pay him the $1.5million roster bonus (or whatever it is). If they reach a deal that gives us some picks then fine, whatever. But if they don’t then pay him the bonus and keep working it until draft time. No reason to cut him now except to save money.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:05 am
What’s next? Oh yeah, that’s right, McCown for QB. Ugh, Ugh
March 11th, 2014 at 11:07 am
It’s a start…. Give me him, McCown, Tillman & a OLineman and it would be a nice day.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:08 am
We are going to dump an All Pro/All World potential future HOFer and get an average DE. Great moves so far…
March 11th, 2014 at 11:09 am
If he pans out, great. But color me skeptical bc the guy only had double digit sacks in a contract year. A former 3rd round pick waiting for his 1st big multi-year deal, who’s basically built his reputation off his physical talent and spotty production? Sounds like one heck of a gamble to this poster.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:09 am
Can’t rule out a QB draft just yet. Looks like the OL and DL may be stocked with FA talent.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Joe
What are the chances the bucs can still get jared Allen?
March 11th, 2014 at 11:10 am
So what number will he be?! BIG QUESTIONS
March 11th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Nice
March 11th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Anybody comparing Bennett to Johnson doesn’t get it. One is a LDE and the other a RDE. The RDE is one of the motors that make the T-2 go (the others being the 3-tech, Will LB, Mike LB, and SS). Michael Johnson has freakish ability. His ability to explode and turn the corner is among the best in the league, and considering he’s 6’7 and over 270 lbs, he’s not tiny either (38+ inch vertical jump too).
Johnson is the perfect fit for the Bucs defense. I stated months ago that he would be my number one target in free agency, even over Greg Hardy (who plays with more power but less speed).
The T-2 is predicated on getting the RDE to run the arc and force the QB to step up into the pressure that should be created by 3 technique (McCoy). That’s how it works. The RDE keeps the QB in the pocket, the under tackle collapses the pocket, wash, rinse, repeat. If we get Johnson, then we get the absolute best addition to our team that was available.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:10 am
I love this signing – I say will still sign another DE.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Signing McCown would be one of the most confusing signings ever. McCown is a guy who, at 34, you sign as a win-now move. The Bucs cut Revis, the exact opposite of a win-now move. It’d be sending mixed messages if nothing else.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:12 am
McCown is a below avg NFL QB. Sign him and pay him backup money only.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:12 am
Contract isn’t so bad. No bidding war. Lovie being here probably attributed to that.
Good take on Justin’s show.
Word is they plan on rotating Johnson and Clayborn from side to side, as both can play both left and right.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Brandon Says
“Anybody comparing Bennett to Johnson doesn’t get it. One is a LDE and the other a RDE.”
Actually, Michael Johnson plays both sides.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Rumored that the deal is “a five-year contract worth $43.75 million with $24 million in guaranteed money” from ESPN reporter Josina Anderson.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Atkins got injured that’s Wht his prod dropped
March 11th, 2014 at 11:15 am
A quarter of the NFL chase Michael Johnson, Bucs need DE and land him, Bucs fans complain. Good to know we have so many scouts in the comments section that base their entire opinion on his sacks alone. For god sakes, we complain we dont have a 10+ sack guy and haven’t for years and now we have one we complain it wasn’t last year. Nevermind the posts from others showing he was near the top of the NFL on QB hurries and knockdowns, etc., only look at one stat to form your opinion people!
March 11th, 2014 at 11:20 am
kh Says:
March 11th, 2014 at 11:15 am
A quarter of the NFL chase Michael Johnson, Bucs need DE and land him, Bucs fans complain. Good to know we have so many scouts in the comments section that base their entire opinion on his sacks alone. For god sakes, we complain we dont have a 10+ sack guy and haven’t for years and now we have one we complain it wasn’t last year. Nevermind the posts from others showing he was near the top of the NFL on QB hurries and knockdowns, etc., only look at one stat to form your opinion people!
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He has 1 above 10 sack season and four sub-6 sack seasons. Excuse some of us for not assuming we just got an elite pass rusher. We got a solid pass rusher as far as we can tell. But someone already pointed it out that Adrian Clayborn’s first three season are better than Johnson’s. It’s not some massive signing, we got a potentially good pass rusher, nothing more, nothing less.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:21 am
How can anyone be mad at this deal its not your money stop crying. We needed a pass rusher so we went and got one. Its free agency teams overpay or have you just started watching football? @ 1bucfan88
March 11th, 2014 at 11:24 am
Physically, he does remind me of Simeon. Production-wise no comparison. It’s an interesting signing. I hope it pans out because if/when they let go of Revis, somebody had better be putting QBs in the ground.
Welcome to Tampa Bay Michael!(theoretically!)
March 11th, 2014 at 11:24 am
This isn’t official until his jersey is for sale on buccaneers.com.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:27 am
overpaying for this guy smhh i dont wanna be negative but wow this guy is not even great. and after we this we will release revis to pick up some average players. im not happy with this moves at all, this years free agency is so weak is not even worth overpaying for none of these guys
March 11th, 2014 at 11:31 am
A. He might as well be wearing the alarm clock uni. He’s signed. Now secondly, if u complain about this sign seriously to root for New England. This guy is graded as an A free agent by Polian and considered the top defensive free agent on NFL network. Stop trolling and leave. Come back when they use what they get for Revis to grab Bridgewater
March 11th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Go root **
March 11th, 2014 at 11:38 am
He has one more 10+ sack season then anyone on the Bucs roster has had in the last 5 years.
The pass rush numbers dropped in 2013 (3.5 sacks), but it’s also important to note that he had 40 quarterback hurries and 16 quarterback hits in 2013 and was tied for the NFL league in batted passes.
Its nonsensical to view pressure through sacks alone.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Anybody comparing him to Bennett ignores the fact that Bennett wasn’t coming back here.
March 11th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Putting him next to McCoy will be ridiculous. These guys dont play in a vacuum..
March 11th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Richard, we know. Its just with some foresight, the Bucs could (and should_ have signed Bennett last year. I betcha they could have done so for 6 years and $40 million. Horrific decision to let him go, just like it will be to let Revis go
March 11th, 2014 at 12:35 pm
In his 5 seasons in the NFL, Michael Johnson has averaged 5+ sacks a season – I don’t know about you, but that is not a “stud” DE.
March 11th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
bucrightoff Said:
“Its just with some foresight, the Bucs could (and should_ have signed Bennett last year. I betcha they could have done so for 6 years and $40 million.”
HE’S GONE FOREVER. OK?
March 11th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
The question is: Are they still going to target Clowney, Mack, or Barr in the draft or does this free them up to choose the best available QB?
Most analysts had us taking Mack or Barr.