Frustration Of No Hitting
August 6th, 2014
Bucs DE Michael Johnson can’t wait to lay the wood to some quarterback that is not his teammate.
Joe has been asked several times about how Michael Johnson is practicing with his new team, the Bucs. The mega-high priced free agent, the projected coup of Lovie Smith’s offseason shopping spree, is at practice every day, but to Bucs fans chagrin, there is not much else to report.
One reason Johnson hasn’t stood out is because the reason he was brought to the Bucs, he cannot do in training camp or practice. That is take quarterbacks to the ground.
After all, there is a reason why Bucs quarterbacks wear orange practice jerseys and it is not in some tribute to Doug Williams. Quarterbacks are not to be touched. Want to see coaches freak out big time quickly? Watch a quarterback get pummeled in practice.
Not only is hitting quarterbacks verbotten, the Bucs (and other NFL teams) try to ease up on the hitting in order to keep guys healthy and fresh. So there is a reason Johnson hasn’t stood out.
“It will be fun to get to Friday night,” Johnson said. “But we are pros. You have to know how to practice, both on offense and defense. You want to get some work in but you also want to protect your guys and get to the games that count.”
So that is why Bucs fans haven’t been wowed by Johnson. That’s why Joe hasn’t reported Johnson flashing at all. He’s reigned in, understandably so.
Johnson said he’s like a rookie in some ways with Lovie’s defense because it is, well, different.
“Making sure some of the terminology,” Johnson said of his biggest challenge. “We have some of the same terminology but it means different things than last year. That is confusing at times.”
August 6th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
That’s the positive of adrian slowborn. You don’t have to tell him not to hit the QB in practice,,,because he can’t!!!
August 6th, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Read some tweets from you saying AC stopped before pummeling McCown though… MJ could do that as well though? I mean him half @$$ing it doesn’t help Collins any either they could be showing each other different looks they haven’t seen before? Yes I know they were teammates at Cincy but I would have to think MJ has learned something from Cullen and Frazier?
Dude better step up this season..
August 6th, 2014 at 2:56 pm
Clueless again.
Ok, let’s let Clayborn, Johnson, and Bowers all actually hit Our QBs.
Put all three of ’em on IR.
The DEs are doing what their coach wants them to do- not some clueless nobody posters on a fan site
Okay?
August 6th, 2014 at 3:01 pm
Realist, you could have at least been witty. Adrian “feet of” Clayborn. If you’re going to be a jerk at least show a little effort. For all our sakes’.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Phillip is right. Other D linemen have “flashed” and stood out on certain days according to the Joes. Why does not hitting the QB preclude him from standing out in practice. I never thought this guy was was all that in Cincy and got a feeling he will underwhelm for the price tag. Sure wish Clayborn had a chance to compete with him for the starting position. Too bad certain FAs don’t have to compete for their jobs.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
@Capt Tim
Um you do realize that NOBODY said to let the DE’s hit the QB’s right? We just want to see him or hear that he is actually getting pressure on the QB? Like getting the edge on Collins or something…
But that must be clueless.. smh
August 6th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Please take the attention off of this horrible article. I can’t wait until Friday so writers can dial back some of the fishing for stories, he can’t hit the quarterback that’s why he’s been invisible? Seriously Joe you couldn’t have wrote this but you had to sign off on it. We’ve heard from every lineman good and bad. No on one drills about getting to a tackle dummy I can even remember about him. Please don’t butter him up because he’s a high profile free agent. Hmmm awkward but you should thank The_Buc_Realist he’s like a scorned ex girlfriend of AC, he took the attention off an invisible high priced free agent you just wrote about
Mike: What’s Joe supposed to write? “Michael Johnson, a defensive end signed specifically to sack quarterbacks, made physical contact with an offensive tackle today.” Boy, that will draw in readers. Still jealous Joe is a success, I see. Spammer. — Joe.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Dallas buc….Lovie is going to put the best guys on the field more than others regardless of how they got here. If Claiborne were better than Johnson he would be the first on the depth chart come regular season. Lovie’s no amateur…he will do what is best and within his power for the team….unlike Greg Schiano who played mind games with everyone and failed to get the most out of his players.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
All I have been hearing is how Dotson has manhandled adrian slowborn. Can’t wait for Friday to start the “real” evaluation.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Kevin- how do you know all this about Lovie, his insight and decision-making. By all accounts your knowledge of WWLD couldn’t be further from the truth. Let’s take a look at all of the new FAs that have zero competition in camp from vets: McCown, Johnson, Collins, Dietrich-Smith, Verner. The existing vet competition was either given a new position (Clayborn), cut (Penn, Revis) or traded (Zuttah). So tell me something, how is Lovie going to evaluate the position to determine the best player to start if the competition was entirely removed? This is so obvious and I wish the media would start putting some questions to the Lovie and Licht about this. I am not expressing opinions. These are facts, evident for all to see.
August 6th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
We have enough players on the sideline watching practice as it is. I am glad Lovie is protecting his QBs
August 6th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
I want to feel fine about Johnson due to this article… but then I read about McCoy blowing through our O-line, and it makes me wonder if Johnson is just a dub in the making…
August 6th, 2014 at 5:00 pm
Dallas, you have your concerns and that’s fine. I don’t agree with them trading zuttah, at least not yet. And I think Joseph was on track to bounce back this year but his price tag was not worth his production. Revis was overpaid and I didn’t mind seeing Penn leave. I am happy that this team is being ran by a head coach with a lot of wins under his belt and a history in the league. I believe he has picked a good offensive mind to run the offense and will allow him to have control over it unlike Schiano did with Sullivan. Sure there are still concerns. But the team is in a much brighter spot now than it has been in the last six years and rather than looking at the bad spots which is all we bucs fans have seen in recent years I’m getting excited to see what results the changes that have been made will bring. If they go 2-6 out the gate then I’ll be concerned. Right now I’m intrigued.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Kevin- I am glad you have a high opinion of our coach. Who doesn’t? However his choice not to provide competition to our FAs should be acknowledged and questioned, not ignored.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Haters gonna hate. Morons gonna say stupid sh*t.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
What a crazy world some fans live in to put actual stock into pre-preseason practices. None of this matters after the hitting becomes real. Every thought I have right now is about how players will play when it matters. And I don’t like or dislike a guy based on how’s he doing right now.
Tommy Streeter? let’s see him make all the catches under live fire. Same for Owusu and Demps.
Bowers sucked 3 years running. Getting praise from current coaches changes nothing at all about that.
MJ was great and good over the last 2 years. Odds are he’ll be something like that this year.
Clayborn has been hit and miss, he’s still hit and miss until he gets sacks and stays healthy.
Nothing changes until the opposing jerseys look different, and even then nothing really changes until the games count. Glorified dress rehearsals is all this is. Glad to have something to read though, thanks Joe.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:41 pm
@DallasBuc,
IMO, your argument about competition is a little off. Who was Freemans competition last year? Penn? Revis? I could go on. Coaches know what certain players can do by watching tape or having coached the player over time. It just not feasible to have competition at all positions, especially in your first year as HC AND when our drafting has not enabled us to stock up on talent. And you can’t pay Penn and Collins $6M+ each and have them compete; you can’t afford both Verner and Revis; thats just not financially realistic.
I still think trading Zuttah and Williams for next to nothing is a mistake. And the fact we did not sign some better guards is very questionable. But like Kevin, I am very excited to see what Lovie and Tedford can put together. 2 more days!
August 6th, 2014 at 5:42 pm
Orca, once again, spot on.
August 6th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
@DallasBuc
I thought they were pretty clear up front in saying these guys were brought in to start. I’ve not heard them say otherwise. Did I miss something?
I have to admit, I’m a bit concerned we haven’t heard of any splash plays. Going easy on the qb is one thing but in the trenches, there should be some battles going on.
I hope he steps it up. Hate to see GMC have to get up in his face. On the other hand that would be fun to watch.
August 6th, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Harry- Freeman and Penn were not FAs last year brought into a situation where they would have no competition. Both players heading into training camp had earned their right to start. Revis is widely considered the best corner in the league but I also don’t remember schiano actively removing his possible competition like Licht did with all the players I mentioned. Look, you have not yet disputed my argument regarding the clearly stated lack of competition for our FAs, just deflected to a different one that is not comparable. According to the Joes we actually had enough cap room to keep the competition we had and I would bet you every one of those guys would not have shied away from it. I believe competition makes the team better. You and our team leadership disagree. Just admit that.
August 6th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Clafollet- “I thought they were pretty clear up front in saying these guys were brought in to start. I’ve not heard them say otherwise. Did I miss something?” Yeah, and I have a problem with that. All of you should too. We named starters at positions and simultaneously removed their entrenched vet competition or refused to provide any. I disagree with the formula and most objective observers and fans should too.
August 6th, 2014 at 11:40 pm
I prefer to trust our coaches unless proven they don’t deserve my trust. My feelings are the best men will start and the coaches will trust them until those men are no longer performing.
I suggest relaxing a bit and taking in the good things that are happening with this team. 🙂