Arians On Tyler Johnson: Not Quite Chris Godwin
August 24th, 2021
Chris Godwin is one of the great all-around players in the NFL.
Hardcore Bucs fans will remember what a beast Godwin was on special teams as a rookie. (The Bucs got smart and stopped risking him getting hurt on fourth downs — #JoeTryon.)
Then when Bucco Bruce Arians arrived, the offense called on Godwin to go in motion and hammer linebackers and defensive ends in the running game. Godwin, at roughly 6-1, 210 pounds, is damn good at it, drawing comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald and Hines Ward.
And per Arians’ words yesterday, there’s only one guy in Godwin’s league in that area on the roster, second-year man Tyler Johnson.
“Tyler can do it. He [did] it last year,” Arians explained about Johnson’s blocking. “There’s only one Chris. Chris blocks like a tight end. To get wide receivers to block like Tyler does, you’re really happy, but I think Travis Jonsen is a guy in the future that might be another guy that’s got the size and the physicality to go out there and do that as a wideout.”
Notice how Arians didn’t mention Jaelon Darden, Antonio Brown or Scotty Miller; they don’t have it in them. Johnson does.
Joe asked Arians what the film showed on Johnson out of Saturday’s game, where he had two early catches and was blocking up the gut in the run game.
“I thought he was pretty solid,” Arians said. “He had a couple plays where I thought his experience level would have changed and helped us a little bit on that fourth-and-one when we were going quick. He should have been able to help Jaelon [Darden] on that blocking scheme a little bit. He’s been there so many times, in that situation. But Tyler’s coming along fine.”
After getting knocked for coming to training camp too fat, Johnson has rebounded extremely well. And Joe expects to see plenty of Johnson on Saturday against the Texans.
The dude can play and is extra valuable in this scheme that wants to have a wide receiver block like Luke Stocker.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:28 pm
Evans
Godwin
Johnson
Darden
Miller
Brown
I don’t see how they can’t keep 6, Darden and Johnson will be on special teams also. Maybe even Brown if Darden falters
August 24th, 2021 at 2:45 pm
TJ will replace Godwin after this season. Same body type and similar potential. Godwin will simply cost too much to keep. Sad but true.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:06 pm
To say Jaelon Darden, Antonio Brown or Scotty Miller don’t have it in them is a little harsh unless you mean literally and not figuratively. Darden and Miller are both 5’9″ and 174 lb. AB is only a little bigger at 185 lb. Those guys might have great heart, but they’re ill equipped to take on inside LB and safeties in he blocking game. Johnson is 6’1″ and weighs 206 lb.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:12 pm
Yah. Cmon joes. Those other guys are tiny dudes. Tough but tiny dudes
Shifty / quick / speed guys
August 24th, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Is Justin Watson no longer considered a receiver on this team?
August 24th, 2021 at 3:44 pm
I really like Tyler Johnson and see him as having great potential. He’s a good route runner with great hands and body control, and he is a capable blocker.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:51 pm
I like what I saw last year…I didn´t like he came out of shape …..Can´t happen again……I wouldn´t get rid of CG next year, we neek to keep him, no matter what…Next year I don´t think Gronk, Jpp Suh will be playing no more…..Thats a ton of money…….Not sure if Brady will be playing also…..
August 24th, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Tyler Johnson was Arians insurance policy; in case Godwin got away at the end of his contract. That could still happen next year, so Arians has to talk Johnson up.
Johnson doesn’t have the concentration of Godwin, though. I have seen him drop the simple stuff, maybe because he wouldn’t focus on them, and grab circus stuff.
Maybe he will see that soon and correct it, otherwise he might be a bust.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:03 pm
Tyler Johnson is much like TBBF….he can shake off a few cheesburgers, fries & key lime pie……but Tyler does it for the NFL…..TBBF does it for poker games….
August 24th, 2021 at 4:29 pm
Yes but AB is the only one who could have juked Tyrann Matthieu in the end zone for the touchdown in the SB.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:30 pm
Godwin hasn’t always been the Godwin of the last couple years. I remember the game where Conte got ragdolled. Godwin dropped some passes, and had some of those issues early on. I wish OJ would hit Chris us, and find out what he did to cure that malady.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
Bux..taking nothing away from Brown and Miller. But if those guys tried to block like Godwin with regularity, they would end up with shoulder surgery. Tough guys, but built more like greyhounds than Rottweilers.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:23 pm
Depends if any receivers are hurt come Thanksgiving.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:36 pm
forget Johnson, Miller, Darden …
GET READY FOR THE RESUGENCE
2 players to watch are AB and Gronk
AB = 1300 Yrds
Gronk = 12 TDs
Evans and Godwin will get apprx 1100 and 8 a piece
Miller, Johnson, and Darden get the scraps
August 24th, 2021 at 7:30 pm
If B.A. didn’t care about Johnson he wouldn’t have made it a point to call him out in front of the media about being out of shape. Those players just get cut, the keepers need to be motivated to be great.
August 24th, 2021 at 7:30 pm
Are they lying to themselves or just don’t want to admit because they gave Chris big money, that AB should be playing on the outside. AB is back primed to play some football. It’s not like Chris doesn’t dominate in the slot.
August 24th, 2021 at 10:59 pm
SlyPirate,
The Bucs and TB are smart, they do not risk Gronk for an injury. He will be a blocker TE and only catch the ball when other receivers are struggling. That was the reason why Gronk could play all games last year.
August 25th, 2021 at 7:30 am
@Beeej
He is injured, and is quite lazy in running routes, two of Brady’s pick sixes he threw towards Watson on a out route and he didn’t attempt to get the ball or anything.
August 25th, 2021 at 8:42 am
Funny how no one mentions intelligence as an attribute. Godwin is one smart dude…