Lovieball Could Spare Leonard Johnson
March 7th, 2015
It started with sage Bucs icon Derrick Brooks warning fans in July to dial back their expectations for the Buccaneers defense.
Brooks talked about inevitable growing pains and the intricate structure and trust needed to play Lovie Smith’s old school Tampa-2 effectively.
Bucs fans are now well versed in those pains.
And that’s a reason Joe thinks the Bucs are likely to bring back cornerback Leonard Johnson, who is a restricted free agent. The Bucs must tender him an offer of about $1.5 million by next week, or get him to sign a different contract, otherwise he’ll walk as an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson overcame a lot of his rough learning curve late last season. He played a couple of decent games at nickel cornerback, and he definitely was solid on special teams. Johnson detailed his learning rollercoaster to Joe right after the season.
The pride of Largo High, Johnson isn’t fast, and you can’t teach speed. He is a mismatch in favor of the offense too often. But Johnson is a valuable cornerback, if he’s, say, the No. 5 or No. 6 corner on your roster. And his value to Lovie should be higher because he knows the defense.
If Lovie’s defense is so challenging, then Joe’s not sure why Lovie would want to ditch Johnson unless he was sure he could find someone with Tampa-2 experience.
March 7th, 2015 at 9:23 am
Lovie’s defense challenging?
Needs to be a little more challenging when the game is on the line.
March 7th, 2015 at 9:31 am
Take the risk…..don’t sign tender……re-sign him for less…but keep him.
March 7th, 2015 at 9:32 am
Singing the praises of the 5th, 6th CB. “He’s pretty good when he’s so far buried on the depth chart it would take a plane crash to get him to see the field.”
Leonard Johnson is defensive CANCER.
March 7th, 2015 at 9:42 am
Wrong. It started with that epitome of ineptitude Michael Can’t-play-football Johnson. Don’t look any further than that failure on defense
March 7th, 2015 at 10:00 am
Personally I like LJ he’s got a year in Lovies system under his belt, and he’s inexpensive…I like him as a 4th or 5th corner…also solid ST player…
March 7th, 2015 at 10:04 am
Buc Trooper, why would you use such a term for a nice kid, that has given his all to this team. Just uncalled for, and deserving of a swift kick in the ass.
LJ will be here and continue to grow as a player and a person, which to me is why I like him.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:07 am
Adrian Clayborne
Mark Barron
DairyQueen Bowers
Mike Jenkins
’nuff said.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:09 am
A lot more to worry about for bucs than LJ. If they resolve the higher need areas like HC, OL, DE, MLB and Safety then we can worry about LJ. Priorities first.
Lovie Ball = Playing not to lose versus playing to win.
Yes, I purposely left off QB since drafting Jameis fixes that position.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:20 am
Leonard Johnson has always sucked, and always will. His presence keeps another player from the roster….one that might actually deserve to be there.
“Johnson overcame a lot of his rough learning curve late last season.” – Joe
Entering his 4th year and still trying to get it. As we all know, it sometimes takes 3 years to judge whether a players is boom or bust. Leonard Johnson has shown no potential whatsoever of being a “boom.”
March 7th, 2015 at 10:21 am
In the first few years of Ronde Barber’s career, they used to describe him the same way they characterize Leonard now. Don’t write this guy off yet, he’s still growing into a solid player. IMHO
March 7th, 2015 at 10:43 am
We have 3 nickels right? LJ, Jenkins and Frey.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:50 am
I personally like Leonard Johnson … he’s got grit … but he just gets caught out of position too often.
Comparisons to Ronde Barber’s early years aren’t justified IMO. Ronde was smaller than Leonard when he entered the league (178 lbs vs 196 lbs), but he was a lot faster (4.41 in the 40), had great instincts, and was tough as nails. Leonard’s quite a bit slower than Ronde was (4.62 best in the 40), and that’s probably a one big reason why he gets caught being out of position so often.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:57 am
Lets keep the kid. He’s a good kid, and we could do a lot worse. We’ve been ragging on this kid from day one of his rookie year, when he was thrown to the wolves, because we didn’t have much. Sure gets burned once in a while. Still not bad for a undrafted free agent. I remember how we used to rag on Brian Kelly, the first couple of years, and he turned out to be pretty damn good.
March 7th, 2015 at 11:00 am
I like Leonard Johnson as a person – but his play does not merit letting him keep his job as a starting Nickle CB. We need an upgrade.
While there is some validity to the Barber comparison – the talent difference coming in was substantial. Barber was a high 3rd round pick (#66 overall) – L. Johnson was an undrafted free agent. The kids got heart and works/tries hard – but will he ever be on par talent wise with other NFL CBs – NO. You can’t “coach up” lack of speed and most slot receivers are small fast guys who can easily outrun LJ.
March 7th, 2015 at 11:41 am
In all of the NFL this guy is the best lovie can find 🙁 terrible I hate LJ
March 7th, 2015 at 11:49 am
Yeah you’re right Joe you can always trust Leonard Johnson to get beat when it matters most. That’s very valuable for the opponent offense.
March 7th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Leonard get’s trashed a lot, I say keep him. Of course that is this homer’s view.
March 7th, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Leonard Johnson is a tough kid who works and plays hard but as Joe said, you can’t teach speed.
Like to keep him but not for $1.5 million and I don’t think anyone else will sign him for that much either.
Those people who bad mouth Johnson are just idiots who really don’t know squat about this team except what they see on ESPN highlights or what some drunki tells them at a bar that they belch out later like a parrot.
March 7th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
@JOE
Johnson overcame a lot of his rough learning curve late last season. He played a couple of decent games at nickel cornerback, and he definitely was solid on special teams.
Joe that was the most lame weakest post you’ve ever written and you should be embarrassed to write such a weak article…..you mean thats the most you can say about a never has been weak slow corner who constantly gets beat for touchdowns and critical third down plays? you can harass michael johnson but leonard johnson gets a pass because of his salary i guess lol well there’s a reason he makes what he makes
how about theres a reason we saw no name corners on the field last year and it was because johnson was garbage and really played because of secondary injuries
March 7th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
The Cannon Misfired, please see my above remark that pertains to people like you.
March 8th, 2015 at 12:30 am
ddneast Says:
March 7th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
The Cannon Misfired, please see my above remark that pertains to people like you
You need to see a damn eye doctor… He’s tough lol yes 99% of nfl players are, you have to be…. At no point did you or joe describe a valuable starter or backup you moron, these below are traits the bucs need? Sounds like a dude that’s very replaceable and your to stupid to realize what Joe said was not a complement. 5th, 6th corner on the roster? What rookie couldn’t do that job idiot
He played a couple of decent games at nickel cornerback, and he definitely was solid on special teams. Johnson isn’t fast, and you can’t teach speed. He is a mismatch in favor of the offense too often. But Johnson is a valuable cornerback, if he’s, say, the No. 5 or No. 6 corner on your roster. And his value to Lovie should be higher because he knows the defense.
March 8th, 2015 at 8:06 am
Dick2111 Says:
March 7th, 2015 at 10:50 am
I personally like Leonard Johnson … he’s got grit … but he just gets caught out of position too often.
Comparisons to Ronde Barber’s early years aren’t justified IMO. Ronde was smaller than Leonard when he entered the league (178 lbs vs 196 lbs), but he was a lot faster (4.41 in the 40), had great instincts, and was tough as nails. Leonard’s quite a bit slower than Ronde was (4.62 best in the 40), and that’s probably a one big reason why he gets caught being out of position so often.
—————-
Where are you getting your numbers, bro? I’m a huge fan of Ronde but your numbers are seriously off. Ronde ran a 4.63, his far faster brother, Tiki, ran only a 4.51.
March 8th, 2015 at 10:12 am
Cannon Misfired, say guy, start taking your meds again or take a course in reading comprehension.
You agreed with everything I said. I also noted he wasn’t worth $1.5 million.
Also, if anyone watched the story on the Barber twins, Rhonda himself acknowledges he wasn’t the best player in his first few years and was afraid he was going to get cut.
I just don’t like people cutting a player up who is doing the best he can with the skill set that god gave him.
Hope you do something about your anger issues.
March 8th, 2015 at 11:56 am
LJ blitzes really well.
He hits like a safety.
He plays the run really well.
He improves every season.
Hes great on special teams.
@joe Thanks for using my #5 or #6 CB idea
March 9th, 2015 at 2:48 am
First of all! It’s the safeties in this defense that’s horrible, you name any corner back in this league that can cover with these safeties. Leonard Johnson is a good football player, just ask where was Dashon Goldson when he was getting so called beat on all those critical plays. But of course you see what you see when you never played a down of football. Also ya’ll cry about character and good people, just talk to this kid for 5 minutes!