WTFchris
07-30-2008, 12:13 PM
Lions' cornerbacks impressed by Calvin Johnson
by Tom Kowalski Wednesday July 30, 2008, 12:15 AM
http://blog.mlive.com/lions_impact/2008/07/medium_johnson30.jpg
ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions cornerback Ramzee Robinson lined up against receiver Calvin Johnson in one-on-one coverage during a play in Monday's camp workout. Johnson was running a fade route and, when they both took off, they were stride for stride.
When the ball finally came down, Johnson was five yards ahead of Robinson and caught the touchdown pass.
"The dude is a monster, man,'' Robinson said afterward. "A lot of guys out here, you can just line up and stay in a foot race with them and run up on the ball and make a play. He's just a different beast, man. There's something about when the ball's in the air, the cat has that extra gear. When you line up against him, you've got to jump on your horse -- and then some.''
With his blend of size (6-foot-5 and 240 pounds) and speed (4.35 in the 40-yard dash), Johnson can wear out a cornerback. While Robinson played against Johnson in last year's camp, Detroit's starting cornerbacks -- Brian Kelly and Leigh Bodden -- are getting their first extended look at Johnson.
"It's freakish. You just don't see that,'' said Kelly, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer who signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. "I didn't realize how big he was. He has good hands and runs good routes for a guy his size. He's got a great combination.''
Kelly was inactive against the Lions last year when Detroit beat Tampa 23-16. Johnson, in addition to two catches for 37 yards, dazzled the Ford Field fans with an electric 32-yard touchdown run on an end-around play.
Bodden, meanwhile, did catch a glimpse of Johnson last year in a preseason game.
Bodden, who played for Cleveland, was shipped to Detroit in the trade that sent defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to the Browns. The Lions think so highly of Bodden that they recently gave him a four-year contract extension worth $27 million.
"He's a ... I don't know. I'm speechless when it comes to him. He's fast, big, strong, athletic, you name it,'' Bodden said. "I played him in the preseason last year but I only saw him for a little bit. Now, seeing him all the time, I am amazed at how big he is. He's probably the biggest receiver in the league right now and he's so fast. He's just got a lot of talent. He's going to be a good one for a long time.''
Johnson was the second overall pick in the draft last season and, despite the complexities of the Mike Martz offense, got off to a rollicking start.
In his first 2½ games, Johnson had 10 catches for 189 yards (nearly a 19-yard average per catch) and scored two touchdowns. But Johnson got hurt in the third game of the season in Philadelphia, when he came down hard after hauling in a 39-yard catch.
Johnson bruised his lower back, an injury that lingered all season. Johnson said that he was taking two Vicodin painkillers a game to deal with the discomfort.
His final statistics weren't bad: 48 catches for 756 yards (a 15.8-yard average) and four touchdown receptions. Kelly and Bodden both believe those numbers are going to balloon.
To Kelly, not only will Johnson be healthy, but he's got that valuable experience to lean on.
"I think he's making that leap that you see second-year players make from their first year,'' Kelly said. "He's learning the offense and it's just about making plays at this point. He works hard and I'm impressed to see a young guy like that with his demeanor and his poise.''
Bodden, at 6-1 and 195, is a good-sized cornerback and can play most receivers with a physical style. Most receivers.
"I'm a big corner so I can be physical with him,'' Bodden said. "I have good feet so I also know when NOT to be physical with him. If he gets his hands on you, that's pretty much it because he can throw you around and get to his route. Plus, he's fast enough to leave you behind if you're right there with him.''
Bodden believes opposing cornerbacks will be making a big mistake if they try to step up and muscle Johnson.
"You can definitely lose that battle with him,'' Bodden said. "He's very physical.''
And Bodden likes how Johnson approaches the game -- silently. Johnson doesn't talk on the field and he barely talks off of it.
"Yeah, he's a quiet guy,'' Bodden said. "And so am I, so I kinda like it. He lets his play speak and he does a good job of it.''
by Tom Kowalski Wednesday July 30, 2008, 12:15 AM
http://blog.mlive.com/lions_impact/2008/07/medium_johnson30.jpg
ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions cornerback Ramzee Robinson lined up against receiver Calvin Johnson in one-on-one coverage during a play in Monday's camp workout. Johnson was running a fade route and, when they both took off, they were stride for stride.
When the ball finally came down, Johnson was five yards ahead of Robinson and caught the touchdown pass.
"The dude is a monster, man,'' Robinson said afterward. "A lot of guys out here, you can just line up and stay in a foot race with them and run up on the ball and make a play. He's just a different beast, man. There's something about when the ball's in the air, the cat has that extra gear. When you line up against him, you've got to jump on your horse -- and then some.''
With his blend of size (6-foot-5 and 240 pounds) and speed (4.35 in the 40-yard dash), Johnson can wear out a cornerback. While Robinson played against Johnson in last year's camp, Detroit's starting cornerbacks -- Brian Kelly and Leigh Bodden -- are getting their first extended look at Johnson.
"It's freakish. You just don't see that,'' said Kelly, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer who signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. "I didn't realize how big he was. He has good hands and runs good routes for a guy his size. He's got a great combination.''
Kelly was inactive against the Lions last year when Detroit beat Tampa 23-16. Johnson, in addition to two catches for 37 yards, dazzled the Ford Field fans with an electric 32-yard touchdown run on an end-around play.
Bodden, meanwhile, did catch a glimpse of Johnson last year in a preseason game.
Bodden, who played for Cleveland, was shipped to Detroit in the trade that sent defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to the Browns. The Lions think so highly of Bodden that they recently gave him a four-year contract extension worth $27 million.
"He's a ... I don't know. I'm speechless when it comes to him. He's fast, big, strong, athletic, you name it,'' Bodden said. "I played him in the preseason last year but I only saw him for a little bit. Now, seeing him all the time, I am amazed at how big he is. He's probably the biggest receiver in the league right now and he's so fast. He's just got a lot of talent. He's going to be a good one for a long time.''
Johnson was the second overall pick in the draft last season and, despite the complexities of the Mike Martz offense, got off to a rollicking start.
In his first 2½ games, Johnson had 10 catches for 189 yards (nearly a 19-yard average per catch) and scored two touchdowns. But Johnson got hurt in the third game of the season in Philadelphia, when he came down hard after hauling in a 39-yard catch.
Johnson bruised his lower back, an injury that lingered all season. Johnson said that he was taking two Vicodin painkillers a game to deal with the discomfort.
His final statistics weren't bad: 48 catches for 756 yards (a 15.8-yard average) and four touchdown receptions. Kelly and Bodden both believe those numbers are going to balloon.
To Kelly, not only will Johnson be healthy, but he's got that valuable experience to lean on.
"I think he's making that leap that you see second-year players make from their first year,'' Kelly said. "He's learning the offense and it's just about making plays at this point. He works hard and I'm impressed to see a young guy like that with his demeanor and his poise.''
Bodden, at 6-1 and 195, is a good-sized cornerback and can play most receivers with a physical style. Most receivers.
"I'm a big corner so I can be physical with him,'' Bodden said. "I have good feet so I also know when NOT to be physical with him. If he gets his hands on you, that's pretty much it because he can throw you around and get to his route. Plus, he's fast enough to leave you behind if you're right there with him.''
Bodden believes opposing cornerbacks will be making a big mistake if they try to step up and muscle Johnson.
"You can definitely lose that battle with him,'' Bodden said. "He's very physical.''
And Bodden likes how Johnson approaches the game -- silently. Johnson doesn't talk on the field and he barely talks off of it.
"Yeah, he's a quiet guy,'' Bodden said. "And so am I, so I kinda like it. He lets his play speak and he does a good job of it.''