Welcome David Johnson TE

[blueman]

Whatever helps in the red zone.

[Antonio's Gates]

Welcome David Johnson TE

What don't you like about the move?

It's hard to like a move for a third tight end when your competition is bringing in shutdown corners and hall of fame pass rushers. I understand it though, just not excited about it.

[homeless simpson]

i originally thought he'd look more in the mold of a Pupunu/McMichael TE. dude looks like a taller LoNeal. Hoping the reason why we didn't use Phillips/Mclain in the TE/FB Hybrid roles is because those 2 guys sucked at versatility. but someone that can function as both a blocking TE AND FB gives us more possibilities.

[Steve]

Remember that the Donks didn't really upgrade much. They maintained, except for Ward, who is not a huge upgrade. Good underneath guy, solid tackler. They replaced DRC with Talib. Von Miller is coming back from the knee, so they are looking at Ware. They lost Beadles. So, are they really that much better?

We stuggled badly in the red zone. We left so many points behind. Adding a blocker helps give us a chance to score more TD. And it helps make Green and Gates able to focus on mostly being WR types. They are never going to be great blockers, and IMHO, they shouldn't try. So, we got better at a spot that we really struggled. I love it.

[brownwoodhead]

What an absolute joke. I don't get these priorities. I really don't want to see another project cornerback via the draft...

[oneinchpunch]

David Johnson Chargers deal: two years, $1.7 million, $220,000 signing bonus

[Steve]

What an absolute joke. I don't get these priorities. I really don't want to see another project cornerback via the draft...

You don't believe in the draft? Plus, what is the real percentage of successful NFL FA? Not to mention anyone signing right now is getting paid a ton of money, money we don't have. Even if we didn't sign Brown. Add both those salaries, together, take all the money for both, we are about half way to the signing bonus for one starting CB.

Johnson is getting paid nothing. There is no CB we could have gotten that would have helped us at Dave Johnson's salary, unless it was in the draft. And if you think about it in terms of other guys, he is making well under an average player in the NFL ($133 million/51 players per team = $2.61 million per player average) . We save 1.76 million per season vs the average cost. That is money that is going to go towards other positions.

We need to project to score more points next season. We have improved the running game some. WE are going to challenge D by spreading them across the field to stop our inside, off tackle and outside runs. Now we have added a blocker to help in goalline and short yardage, turning a bunch of those FG and no point red zones into TD or at least FG (that cost us at least 4 games right there). We still need help on D, and a vertical stretch element on O. But they are making progress.

[Beerman]

Pretty much any salary under 1 million/yr for an active player on game day is a bargain.

Does make sense for the team to cut Philips and keep Byrne this training camp. If they want two TE that is. The other option would be to keep a 4th RB like Kerwyn Williams for his special teams ability.

[Steve]

Johnson and Phillips/Byrne are OK ST guys. Not great, but solid. Having guys like Gachkar, Stuckey, we have a good mix of ST guy. I wouldn't carry another guy just to play ST. If we needed a ST ace, then that would be different. We have ST guys who also figure in regular sets.

But we really do need a FB and a TE for short yardage. Most teams only have 1 pass catching TE, we are carrying 2. And Gates really is a bad blocker. I think Metzalaars will get more out of him in terms of his blocking, but there is a limited point of return on that. At some point, Green and Gates are legit weapons and trying to turn them into blockers is going to take so much time it would hurt our offense by making them less effective as receivers.

[QSmokey]

It's hard to like a move for a third tight end when your competition is bringing in shutdown corners and hall of fame pass rushers. I understand it though, just not excited about it.

Well if you think of it IN COMPARISON to signing (for ridiculous money, you forgot to mention) shutdown corners and HOF pass rushers (Note: Isn't Freeney a HOF pass rusher?), then you're bound to be disappointed.

But if you look at the signing for what it *IS*, i.e., another piece to the team puzzle that makes us better, then maybe you could appreciate it more. But no one is doing cartwheels or buying SB tickets because we signed David Johnson.

[Coachmarkos]

His cost looks very good next to mcclains.

honestly, I think Phillips will stick. This guy's the "designated" fullback.

[Steve]

In the end, I think it is probably going to be Johnson and Phillips with one at FB (probably Johnson) and the other as a blocking TE (Inline TE, probably Phillips). I do hope Byrne can play well enough to displace Phillips. I thought he had an excellent game vs cinci. But he is only really a blocker and not much of a receiver. Phillips is pretty average (which for TE doesn't say much), but he is at least a guy you can't ignore. If we can find an UDFA who could figure in at TE, that would be great too, but I expect the real value is that we no longer have to use a draft pick on a TE to get a blocker.

As far as who and what should be doing cartwheels, I would argue that Johnson/Brown represents a bigger improvement to us, then Ware/Talib/Ward did to Denver, in terms of improvements over last year.

Maybe they get a slight edge depending on exactly how much you think Adams has slid, and whether or not Ward is his replacement or the other starter. But Tailb replaces DRC, he really isn't an upgrade. The guy he replaces was pretty good. Ware is really a replacement for Von Miller, who is probably not going to be ready for the beginning of the season. If they are going to get a lot better on D, it is going to be a combination of getting Wolfe back and the development of Sylverster Williams at DT.

Now, we still have a not very good situations at pass rushers and CB, but those are situations we overcame last year. We are not really any worse off, although they do represent the areas where the team could improve the most. But those would still be upgrades in my book, not repalcements.