Body Focus For Tyler Johnson
April 8th, 2021
One guy Joe suspects wouldn’t mind seeing Antonio Brown star for the Bengals next season is Bucs receiver Tyler Johnson.
Entering his second NFL season, Johnson will struggle to see the field if Brown is back complementing a healthy dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and playoff hero Scotty Miller. There’s only one football and Johnson would have to stay patient under that scenario.
While Johnson and every Bucs fan waits out the Brown saga, Johnson talked a bit to TheAthletic.com about his post-Super-Bowl feelings.
There was little to the interview, but twice Johnson mentioned care for his body is a major focus. And if a player repeats himself with emphasis, Joe pays attention.
Here is Johnson’s first body reference:
How would you say you grew in the last year? Where did you take the biggest steps forward from getting drafted to now?
Being able to take care of my body. I had to adjust to how to take care of myself, knowing my limits. I made that big jump. I know what I have to do moving forward and I’m going to continue to keep getting better with that.
The “knowing my limits” line is intriguing.
Did Johnson try to play through something he shouldn’t have and it led to his training camp injury? Joe’s not taking a shot at Bucs doctors/trainers, only wondering if Johnson tried to tough out something without communicating.
Regardless, NFL-level body care is a huge learning curve for many rookies, and the talented ones that make life-changing modifications usually have long careers.
This all reminds Joe of when Josh Freeman’s Taco Bell addiction was revealed.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:53 pm
Too bad that Taco Bell wasn’t the only thing Josh was addicted to. Dude was a promising young QB.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:53 pm
He’s the same size, weight, and speed as Godwin. Some of the catches TJ made were crazy, especially in the playoffs. Getting a year of tutelage behind Godwin and with Brady will make TJ a star.
Pass on AB and invest in this young man.
April 8th, 2021 at 2:02 pm
Sly pirate- not all weight is created equal. Look at Tyler Johnson’s IG, dude is skinny. Not a wiry skinny, but a frame that clearly looks as if he spends zero time lifting. Chris Godwin is at least thick and is a weight room warrior, and actually I highly doubt Tyler Johnson is 206 pounds. Frankly I don’t know where you get that he is just as fast. As Godwin is a legitimate 4.4 guy and fan a 4.4 in high school too. Tyler Johnson has never been a 4.4 guy and even shied away from it at combine and pro day
April 8th, 2021 at 2:14 pm
Love the guy. still….SIGN AB
April 8th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
I was glad someone has thought enough time went by and told the whole Josh Freeman story. I am surprised Joe did not follow up on it.
Amazing how Freemans dad was abke to put the blame on Greg wgen Greg was protecting Freeman and trying everything in his power to help him.
For thise that didn’t hear tge story one thing that jumps out is Freeman almost missed the Jets game we lost by 1 point. After security brike into his room ge was passed out on the floor. At the game his helmet didn’t have a radio problem. He could not remember the play after it was told to him.
Vincent Jackson finally got fed up and pushed to have Josh replaced.
April 8th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
I don’t think Johnson is just a fast as Godwin…..Johnson dropped to the fifth round because he did not run in the combine and his pro day was cancelled due to covid. Teams thought he was a tad too slow compared to many other WRs coming out in the draft.
April 8th, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Sorry my phone keeps switching the o with an i
April 8th, 2021 at 2:53 pm
AB is a luxury.
April 8th, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Was there a recent story on Freeman?
April 8th, 2021 at 3:40 pm
AB=AdiosBye
April 8th, 2021 at 4:16 pm
Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Thank GOAT for Today because that’s why we call it a Present 🎁
Tampa Brady 3 Peat coming to Raymond James Stadium soon👍🏻🍻
April 8th, 2021 at 4:39 pm
Listen…..I like Tyler Johnson…..but he’s a 5th round pick rookie with 3 more years left on his contract….
I can understand why fans want to see him more….but, lets face it….if we can get AB back…..Johnson can wait.
April 8th, 2021 at 4:48 pm
To me, it seems like he’s been listening to and watching how Brady takes care of his body.
April 8th, 2021 at 5:09 pm
TJ got excellent hands like to see a lot more of him. Let Brown walk and get a returner/wide reciever in the draft that can run a sub 4.4 there are quite a few in the draft this year.
April 8th, 2021 at 5:52 pm
Fat Freeman was a great young QB – and he was fat shamed by the media. Then he lost literally 60 pounds over an offseason and showed up with a 6-pack, it was remarkable. Skinny, in shape Freeman, wasn’t very good – likely because all the drugs he did to get skinny make him not very good.
As for Tyler Johnson, he fell in the draft because it was believed he was about a 4.7 40-yard guy — I believe he was injured and didn’t run, but he was believed to have been someone who would run very slow. However, thankfully, he didn’t look too slow last year — he didn’t look fast, but he looked like he has enough speed to play, and with limited reps he showed enough that you’d think he might have a future.
Overall I like him as my development guy, a #5 WR who might end up as a #3 with another year of development. But he’s not someone I’m betting my season on, who can step in as #3 right now, and is one injury away from starting. Maybe he’d be fine, but I’m not betting my season on it, which is why getting AB back is a big deal (and Scotty Miller is not a #3 WR, he’s a #4 one trick pony WR, and in that role is good to have around). With the injury history of Godwin and Evans, and how they can’t make it through a year without being seemingly being constantly injured, you need a legit #3 WR who can start, and Tyler Johnson isn’t that guy, at least not yet.
April 8th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
I’m not sure who all these number 3 receivers that Munch is talking about in the NFL. Bucs have Evans, Godwin and Miller. Can he name 3 or 4 teams with a better threesome of receivers. Had an old coach tell me to work on my weaknesses but to also work on my strengths more.
Miller is not a one trick pony. He is a pony whose best asset is threatening the defense on deep routes. That is valued. Love that ability. Not a lot of number 3 receivers excel at that as much as him.
He is small. He played about 40 percent of the offensive snaps. Only 4 snaps though were inside the red zone according to pro football reference. But we do not need him there. We have Evans, Godwin, Gronk, Brate, OJ, Lenny, and Rojo as better red zone targets.
Solid 6th round pick with solid value. I say never will be a number 2. But has already shown he is a capable number 3. Just posting because my opinion differs from Munch.
April 8th, 2021 at 6:45 pm
geno711 – Miller IS a one trick pony, when he needed to step up and be the #2 when Godwin was injured, he couldn’t and didn’t. His lack of ability when needed is why the team signed AB. If Miller had been able to be a #3, and was good enough to be a #2, the team wouldn’t have signed AB.
This is the same nonsense we heard every year about Humphries, who was a better WR than Miller. He went to Tennessee to be a #3 who could step up as the #2, and he did nothing and is now unemployed. Being a depth player on a good offense is a great way to get stats and money from another team, but it also exposes you for what you are. Miller is not a #3, but he is an excellent #4, where he gives you a mismatch. Understanding the limitations of players is a basic part of putting a team together. Licht knows that which is why they’re still trying to sign AB, and if they can’t, it’s why they’ll draft someone high.
April 8th, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Tyler Johnson doesn’t have the long speed that Godwin has but he plays similar. Kupp is about as fast as Johnson and he’s always open. AB never ran fast. All of these guys have lateral quickness and that makes them dangerous. TJ was constantly open on deep routes in college despite his speed. Take a look at the outback bowl from 2020 if you’re worried about TJ. Go back and look at Kupp’s stats when he played us this year. You don’t need long speed to be successful in the NFL.
April 8th, 2021 at 6:49 pm
geno711 – Also, no issues with disagreeing, I enjoy a good back and forth. I wish more people would at least attempt to back up their opinions, even if I think you’re wrong, I appreciate the effort. Also feel free to namecall, I hate how boring and PC things are now, calling people names and being rude is part of the fun of sports. There’s so many mean things I’ve said to Packers fans in the 90s, that if any of it was on tape they’d probably try to charge me with many many hate crimes – meanwhile I was 100% in explaining how they got the name Packers and what it means.
April 8th, 2021 at 7:17 pm
Rod worst thing I said to a packer fan. Short story. My best friend was talking to a group of cheese heads being one himself. This woman had two massive fake breast made of cheese. I was being my usual quite self. Don’t know when it came from but I bluted out “Can I squeeze your cheese” instant silence. The they all started howling with laughter. She the presented both breast for a good firm squeeze.
April 8th, 2021 at 7:31 pm
Topdoggie – I never had a single good interaction with a Packers fan, it all started with getting some cheap season tickets in 1997, when they had $125 season tickets, but it was in a wedge on the visitors side of the stadium. I was surrounded by them – and there was a lot of verbal abuse going back and forth. Oh, and the night before in Ybor City when I was nice and liquored up and would follow groups of Packers fans and join in with their chants, just changing the wording a bit. All good natured, in my mind, and by good natured I mean really insulting and personal – the 90s were such a fun time, no cameras, words didn’t hurt, PC wasn’t really a thing.
As for chicks showing off, in the old Tampa Stadium, that’s something you’d expect to see on a weekly basis. Oh, and in Ybor on a nightly basis. And at the beach, and in bars. It was really special back then too, with no internet, it wasn’t like you could just see anything you wanted at any time. Stupid cell phones killed chicks whipping em out all the time. But that’s a good story you have, with a good outcome. My story explaining what meat packers are was never meet with something pleasant like that.
April 8th, 2021 at 7:32 pm
@Rod Munch I think you’re forgetting that Scotty was injured for most of the season too. Just like Chris and Mike. Scotty had a hip injury that effected his ability to play. Even his best game against the raiders he said he was only at maybe 85 percent healthy because of his hip.
Now I am not saying he can be a reliable number 2 because I personally think he is a little too undersized to be a top target, but perhaps we haven’t seen all he has to offer on the field just yet either.
April 8th, 2021 at 8:47 pm
Tyler has gifted hands. Teams weren’t looking for him to catch passes. Had they been, I think he would have struggled. To me with his hands he could do well in the slot, dangerous position but a role best suited for his speed and his gifted hands
April 8th, 2021 at 9:50 pm
@Rod
Its simple for me. If the Buc’s can be better at 3rd wide receiver. Then I am fine with replacing him. But with other pass catching options on this team – he is way down the list on positions we have a need to improve.
Fact was using last year as a barometer, there were less than 5 teams with better 3rd receivers than Scotty Miller.
Scotty Miller is especially valuable for Tampa in what he does for this team. He might have the best short area burst of any current Buc receiver. I do not care if other teams use their 3rd receiver in a different way than Tampa does. His speed/separation on deep balls helps our offense stretch the field. There are lots of ways to win in the NFL and Scotty was a solid part of our offense as a 3rd wideout. He is valued.
You just consistently undervalue him by calling him a 5th wide receiver. Or that 3rd receiver is a huge need. Both are wrong. Got to give the man credit for making himself valuable. More valuable than 1st round pick N’Keal Harry of New England – who has also played two seasons.
April 8th, 2021 at 10:17 pm
@Geno
As usual agree with you completely. Tom Brady can’t run a iick in a league now becoming defined by mobile young QB’s. IE Brady can only throw the ball is he a one trick pony because of his lack of mobiiity.
And Brady is another reason Scotty is very valuable. Brady TRUSTS him. Nuff said.
Neither CG nor ME scare D’s in terms of getting behind them…both are terrific possession receivers with good hands. Scotty complements them. He’s NOT a possession receiver but I suspect DC’s around the league now have to keep a safety honest with Scotty’s ability to not only get open deep but he has a great eye for the ball and reads Brady’s passes perfectly. Perhaps all the practice on the high school field paid off.
April 9th, 2021 at 1:46 am
Man I hope brown goes!! This guy has a great career ahead of him!! … I was wrong about him and I’m good at picking receivers…. I was yelling for Miller and soon as the bucs drafted Godwin I came on here and said he’d be a star in the NFL … I’m not good with judging running back and not great with corners… But receiver, QB, linebackers (I also came in here and said White would be the best linebacker in football and was WELL WORTH the 5th overall pick a few days after they took him) and edge rushers I’m usually really good at picking… But Johnson I thought was way too slow out of his breaks and dropped some big passes in big moments… He always had a knack for getting open in college but I didn’t think it would translate to the NFL … Boy was I wrong!! That dude can be another Godwin type player!! Give him a chance bucs!!…. Root out the cancer before it becomes a problem!!
April 9th, 2021 at 9:21 am
It’s tough coming into the league, and the learning curve is steep. It’s not just about the game on the field. These rooks have to adjust to living on their own, adjusting to new surroundings, and oh yeah, competing against the best players on the planet. This kid was a 6th rounder, give it time.
April 9th, 2021 at 10:57 am
First comment on that Freeman Taco Bell story is pretty hilarious
April 9th, 2021 at 10:57 am
@Hodad- he was a 5th rounder, but your point remains. It’s a big adjustment for sure.
April 9th, 2021 at 8:27 pm
I watched Tyler in the Outback bowl and thought he was a 1st or 2nd round pick. If he stays healthy and he wants to be Mr Tyler Johnson he can be a #3 receiver.