How good a pass rusher from blitz will Derrick Johnson be ?

[Ninjaman]

This guy could turn out to be valuable in that area with that speed.

I don't hear anyone talking about that.

[htismaqe]

I think he can do it all.

[ROYC75]

With his athletic ability, you will see him alot on the blitz.

[Hammock Parties]

Scott Fujita got 4.5 sacks last year. DJ's got to be good for at least 6.

[jspchief]

10 1/2 sacks in 50 college games doesn't sound too promising.

I think this is where the inability to shed blocks, or tendency to run around them hurts him.

[Hammock Parties]

I think DJ was in coverage alot. He had 9 interceptions in his career.

[jspchief]

He had a lot of QB pressures, and a lot of tackles behind the LOS, so he can get back there. I guess it's hard to say, because I don't know how Texas utilized him.

10 1/2 sacks doesn't make him sound like a sack machine though.

[htismaqe]

Like I said, look at his numbers.

He can do it all.

[Tribal Warfare]

He'll be a Jack Hamm or Jack Lambert type of player. meaning he'll be great in coverage and against the run, and will be a very solid blitzer.

[Skip Towne]

He played for GROB for a year. I wonder how that affected his numbers?

[ptlyon]

Like I said, look at his numbers.

He can do it all.

WTF did we draft a punter for then?!?

[beer bacon]

WTF did we draft a punter for then?!?

What does this have to do with anything? I don't see the logic in great all around linebacker = no need for a good punter.

[ptlyon]

Wow. See that one went under someone's radar.

[tyton75]

I think we just drafted a younger and more instinctive Donnie Edwards.. but I may be wrong..

[beer bacon]

Wow. See that one went under someone's radar.


Yes, it did. I guess I am just an idiot. Were you being sarcastic or what?

[ptlyon]

Were you being sarcastic or what?

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[beer bacon]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

In that case I am sorry :)

Chiefsplanet has been pretty high on the punter, but over on a few other Chiefs board and some other Chiefs fans I have spoken to today have been pretty angry/stupid about it. I thought you were serious :banghead:

[Edubs]

I hearded fatty Bob this morning on 810 say that some Chiefs people are talking about have DJ in the middle and Bell on the outside. Thoughts? Is this was you expected?

[Edubs]

I heard fatty Bob this morning on 810 say that some Chiefs people are talking about having DJ in the middle and Bell on the outside. Thoughts? Is this what you expected?


I had to correct spelling.....man that was a terrible post.

[ptlyon]

In that case I am sorry :)

Chiefsplanet has been pretty high on the punter, but over on a few other Chiefs board and some other Chiefs fans I have spoken to today have been pretty angry/stupid about it. I thought you were serious :banghead:

Well I wasn't happy when I read it on ESPN, but I can see that it does make sense. We have had problems with FA punters for years now, and it looks like they are trying to address the problem. That makes me ok with it.

Just like Janakowski when he was drafted. I wanted to draft him. Didn't want the problems that went with him, but wanted a solid kicker. Lord knows how we were spoiled with Stenerud and Lowery all those years.

Some people don't think kickers should be drafted. Ever. I think KC went out to try to address a need. Hopefully it will work out for us long term.

P.S. 98% of my posts are sarcastic, guess this one fits in the other 2%

P.S.S. Throw Keading in that mix too - wish we could have gotten him more than Janablowme

[htismaqe]

I hearded fatty Bob this morning on 810 say that some Chiefs people are talking about have DJ in the middle and Bell on the outside. Thoughts? Is this was you expected?

I really hope not.

[Edubs]

I really hope not.


Bell would be better on the inside. More experience is what we need in the middle. Damn we are going to have the fastest group of LB's in the league. Weeeeeeeee!

[Wallcrawler]

Yes, it did. I guess I am just an idiot. Were you being sarcastic or what?


It was said that Johnson can do it all.

Then the joke was "then why did we draft a punter".

Meaning that if Johnson could do it all, he could be punting as well.....



I think that if DJ is put out there to rush the passer, he will get there. He played a lot of coverage, and if Im not mistaken, set the school record for interceptions for a linebacker with 9.

Also, as we all know, Greg Robinson wasnt about sacks, he was about wierd coverages that get interceptions.


I think if Gun wants to have him blitzing most of the time, we will have a pretty good sack threat from the linebacker spot.


If you remember, back in the day, Bill Cowher was the D coordinator under Marty when we got DT. DT was capable of coverages also, and Cowher would always be designing stuff for DT to drop back into coverage.

Then he would present it to Marty, and Marty would ask him "Bill, why on earth would you design a defense in which your best pass rusher is moving away from the line of scrimmage at the snap?"

Cowher never had an answer, and DT became the sack machine we all know him as.


DJ I think has that type of speed and ability that can instantly upgrade our pass rush. I know he has the speed to get around the corner and get to the QB. It just depends on how much Gun wants him to use his cover skills that will affect his chances at high sack numbers.


We all know that Gun is aggressive, and would probably take the sack over just a chance at an interception. With as much as Gun blitzes, I think we will be seeing a lot of DJ going after the QB.

[buddha]

Johnson was an excellent cover linebacker at UT. However, had UT asked him to rush the passer more, he would have been good there too. I don't think there is anything that this can't do...he's very, very good.

[yoswif]

The rules for the passing game are a little different in the pros than in college. DJ's athleticism may be more valuable as a blitzing LB with rules encouraging longer downfield routes by WRs in the pros.

[Sparhawk]

I have to say I'm overly excited about DJ. I think his addition makes our coverages and blitzes much better. Think Plummer's gonna want to roll out on his side a few times? LOL! Or maybe just sit back in the pocket and wait for Bell to knock his socks off? I don't think it'll take to many hits for DJ (and the Chiefs D) to put the naysayers in their place.

[milkman]

I think Gun is going to have an orgasm just thinking about the speed at LB, and different blitz packages he can use because of that speed.

[eazyb81]

I think we just drafted a younger and more instinctive Donnie Edwards.. but I may be wrong..

No offense to Donnie, but DJ has way more potential then Donnie ever did. DJ was generally regarded as the best defensive player in the draft, while Donnie was a 4th round draft pick when he came out.

Personally, I think DJ compares best to a guy like Keith Bullock. Both are rangy players that make plays from sideline to sideline, and both were knocked on their tackling technique coming out of college. Gun turned Bullock into a Pro Bowler and a top 5 LB, I have no doubts that he will do the same for DJ.

[Inspector]

I'm really happy about this pick.

And I can't wait to see him punt.