Micheal Johnson: My View

[MrRager]

Originally Posted by Night's Watch

I strongly agree with everyone else on here. I hope we re-sign him and for at least 4 years. What I do not get it everyone claiming we need a 1st round pick spent on a DE. We have much bigger holes elsewhere. Also we seem to be doing just fine with the later picks:

Peko: 4th rounder
Atkins: 4th rounder
MJ : 3rd rounder
Dunlap: 2nd rounder

Well I don't necessarily want a first round DE this year, but it is tempting. Sure we do well in the later rounds, but Atkins is the only elite player. The chances of grabbing an elite player is obviously much higher in the first round.

I can't imagine this Dline with a truly elite, top 3, 12+ sack DE playing along side Atkins, MJ or Dunlap, and a hopefully much improved Still for the next couple of years.

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by bengalsfan2008

In all honesty, I would love it if we could resign MJ, but the thing is i KNOW he is going to want a lot of money. If that happens, i don't know what the bengals will do.

Not sure why you wonder what the Bengals will do. Contrary to popular belief on these boards the Bengals have done a very good job rewarding performance with very good contracts.

This notion that Dunlap makes MJ better is insanity. MJ has made himself better and that is the bottomline. MJ is a critical part of this defense and should be priority to re-sign.

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by MrRager

Well I don't necessarily want a first round DE this year, but it is tempting. Sure we do well in the later rounds, but Atkins is the only elite player. The chances of grabbing an elite player is obviously much higher in the first round.

I can't imagine this Dline with a truly elite, top 3, 12+ sack DE playing along side Atkins, MJ or Dunlap, and a hopefully much improved Still for the next couple of years.

The thing is, with the improvement MJ has shown and with the potential (given he is healthy) Dunlap has we already have two 12+ sack DE's. Both are capable of doing so, so why waste a pick that could help the team in other areas?

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by Bryan

I don't know I just think it's pricey for a guy who isn't elite.

Who do you consider elite? MJ is having just as good a season as any DE in the league... Just look at the stats on ESPN and see for yourself. Why do Bengals fans not give their players the credit they deserve is beyond me..

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/pl...2/seasontype/2

[pdub2005]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

I just don't see MJ as someone who will consistently post around 10 sacks.

I d0o't know if I agree with this, MJ's athleticism and size makes him a freak of nature. Not saying you couldn't be right shake, but I think sky is the limit for him and Geno.

Originally Posted by RumbleCat

My god, how many D-Linemen are we gonna' have? We have, what 5 DT's? Peko, Geno, Sims, Still, Thompson.

And then Johnson, Geathers, Dunlap, and Gilberry (? end or DT ?) And who am I forgetting?

Is this normal? I like the young guys, agree with whoever said to see Geathers go, and then get an end. But some of these DT's aren't getting much playing time.

Isn't geathers contract up?

[Shake n Blake]

Originally Posted by Night's Watch

I strongly agree with everyone else on here. I hope we re-sign him and for at least 4 years. What I do not get it everyone claiming we need a 1st round pick spent on a DE. We have much bigger holes elsewhere. Also we seem to be doing just fine with the later picks:

Peko: 4th rounder
Atkins: 4th rounder
MJ : 3rd rounder
Dunlap: 2nd rounder

It's about making sure the strength of your team remains a strength.

The Giants had Tuck and Umenyiora and still drafted Pierre-Paul in the 1st.

I'm hoping for a LB in round 1, but if we take a pass rusher there, I have no problem with that. We can always take a LB and a S later on.

[torro]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

I don't know what you're talking about, dadofMJ.

Geno has 51 pressures, MJ 38, Dunlap 27

Really? we have 116 QB pressures this year. WOW

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by torro

Really? we have 116 QB pressures this year. WOW

lol, lots more than that actually .

Seriously, last game alone Geno got free 7 times from what I saw, each time it was a hurry (not including sacks).

[THEBURG]

Originally Posted by Truck_1_0_1_

lol, lots more than that actually .

Seriously, last game alone Geno got free 7 times from what I saw, each time it was a hurry (not including sacks).

Where do you watch these games from, you have a different view, than us folks that are at the game?

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Originally Posted by THEBURG

Where do you watch these games from, you have a different view, than us folks that are at the game?

Relevance to anything?

And I watch on TV, obvs.

[Mack Morgan]

Originally Posted by Lawless_1

Some on here may have seen me say that MJ has been highly overrated on these boards and while I stand by that for the most part I am willing to say this.... Hie performance this year is his own doing... not Dunlap's.... no Geno's.... it is his doing.

There is no way a guy on one end that has 2 sacks on the year had anything to do with a guy on the other end having 8... shut up with that nonsense.

Now onto his contract.

If we can sign him or Andre before free agency great. We can use the franchise tag on the other guy and see what he does next year. If he gets to free agency forget him he is gone. Someone will give him a hefty contract in free agency that will be beyond what he is worth like Antwan Odom the year we signed him. I'm still not that sold on him but I would like him back at a "decent" salary.

he had some good songs but I didn't like what he did to them boys

[TheLeonardLeap]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

I want MJ back, but not if it requires us paying him premier pass rusher money.

2009: 16 games, 0 starts, 16 tackles, 3 sacks
2010: 16 games, 10 starts, 34 tackles, 2.5 sacks
2011: 16 games, 5 starts, 43 tackles, 6 sacks
2012: 16 games, 16 starts, 51 tackles, 11.5 sacks (at current pace)

I just don't see MJ as someone who will consistently post around 10 sacks.

Hopefully we can get him for around what the Jaguars gave Jeremy Mincey.

After posting 57 tackles, 8 sacks, 4 ff and an int, the Jags gave Mincey a 4 year deal worth 27.2 million. Something close to that would be fair.

In fairness, Mincey was what? 27? 28? Michael Johnson is 25. Two to three years doesn't sound like a ton, but that's a huge difference in the NFL.

My biggest thing about Michael Johnson is the simple fact that the first two years they were trying to make him some hybrid player, which he was not. As soon as he became a full-fledged DE (2011/2012) he's put up 6 and 8 sacks respectively, with 5 more games to go in 2012.

What I look at is the fact that MJ keeps improving. I don't see him having a problem getting to double digit sack this year, and I feel like anytime you can keep an ever-improving double digit sack player, you need to. Without the great D-line the Bengals have, their defense is pretty awful. It's not like Maualuga/Lawson/Crocker/Newman are the reason this defense are shooting up the rankings, it's the D-line making all those guys look better.

Gotta pay the man.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

It's about making sure the strength of your team remains a strength.

The Giants had Tuck and Umenyiora and still drafted Pierre-Paul in the 1st.

I'm hoping for a LB in round 1, but if we take a pass rusher there, I have no problem with that. We can always take a LB and a S later on.

Yeah, but where did that type of drafting get them? Oh wait...

[eliminate08]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

It's about making sure the strength of your team remains a strength.

The Giants had Tuck and Umenyiora and still drafted Pierre-Paul in the 1st.

I'm hoping for a LB in round 1, but if we take a pass rusher there, I have no problem with that. We can always take a LB and a S later on.

Shake knows what he is talking about.

You can never have enough pass rush in this pass happy league.

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by Sideline Tweeting 101

Who do you consider elite? MJ is having just as good a season as any DE in the league... Just look at the stats on ESPN and see for yourself. Why do Bengals fans not give their players the credit they deserve is beyond me..

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/pl...2/seasontype/2

Did you think Geathers was elite after his 10.5 sack season?

[Who2Dey]

I wasn't sold on MJs progression going into this year and considered '12 a "show me" year. I cut him slack because of the learning/growth curve that comes with playing multiple positions and putting on body mass. A guy can't put in that much weight and instantly be in tuned to his new body. The guy is a freak physically and I'd like to see what will happen now that he is getting comfortable and I'm sure the organization would like to get some payback for "coaching him up".

The Dline dominates. The goal should be to keep that intact minus Geathers. I don't think we've seen MJs best yet. That said I don't know how upset I'd be if the bengals chose not to give him 8 figured salary. Seven/eight million a year feels about right. The guys versatile and can play all over the line...I'm a fan.

The giants have won two superbowls using a line rotation like this and copying that here was no doubt one of the better decisions the team has made.

[CornerBlitz]

You guys who would give Johnson 5 years 50 million are trippin'

[OSUfan]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Did you think Geathers was elite after his 10.5 sack season?

This means what? Different body type players on different ends of the line. While Geathers may not be elite what many fail to realize is where we would be without him given the injury history of Dunlap. Heck, the staff has tried to hand Dunlap the job and even have listed as the stated yet he has failed to seize his opportunity. MJ on the other hand got the chance and has never looked back.

Geathers may not be flashy but he deserves way more credit than these boards give him. The one thing that always comes up is his salary. The team offered he accepted. For all those bashing his salary would you have turned it down? I would like to see Geathers back at a rotational price as he is the best run defender we have at DE...however MJ is growing at break neck speed in this area. I think Geathers has been a great mentor for all of our young dlinemen.

I think MJ should be paid very well to come back and we should make a serious effort to get Geathers back at a fair backup price. Think re-signing Gilberry to more than another 1 year deal would as well in the best interest of this team.

[Go Cards]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

Btw, what is up with Dunlap this year? Only 2 sacks? The 27 pressures is ok I guess, but he used to be so much better. I don't re-watch games and focus in on individual players as much as some of you guys, so can someone explain to me why he's fallen off this year? Also, is he playing more snaps or less?

He gets talked to a lot by coaches on the sideline and is the only player that I have ever seen ripped and dressed down as if by a drill sergeant. All the while coach was waving 4"x 8" color glossy photographs in Dumblaps face.

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Did you think Geathers was elite after his 10.5 sack season?

after, no, during that year he definitely played like one though.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by CornerBlitz

You guys who would give Johnson 5 years 50 million are trippin'

not what we want to give just guessing off recent contracts..

5 years for 30 million would be more than enough if hes willing to take it but someone might offer him more.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by BengalsFan024

not what we want to give just guessing off recent contracts..

5 years for 30 million would be more than enough if hes willing to take it but someone might offer him more.

Then let them.
He is young enough he can still get a HUGE deal after this next contract.
He will be lucky to get 5/50. Absolutely lucky. Think about the deal with Geathers, can we really tie our hands with an albatross of a contract like that again for a mediocre DE?

If you can get him for around 3-4 years and 5-8 per, that would be idea. Huge pay increase for him, and gives him time to get a new deal right around the age of 28. Young enough to get a multi-year deal, old enough to have a record and not use "he is still progressing."

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

This means what? Different body type players on different ends of the line. While Geathers may not be elite what many fail to realize is where we would be without him given the injury history of Dunlap. Heck, the staff has tried to hand Dunlap the job and even have listed as the stated yet he has failed to seize his opportunity. MJ on the other hand got the chance and has never looked back.

Geathers may not be flashy but he deserves way more credit than these boards give him. The one thing that always comes up is his salary. The team offered he accepted. For all those bashing his salary would you have turned it down? I would like to see Geathers back at a rotational price as he is the best run defender we have at DE...however MJ is growing at break neck speed in this area. I think Geathers has been a great mentor for all of our young dlinemen.

I think MJ should be paid very well to come back and we should make a serious effort to get Geathers back at a fair backup price. Think re-signing Gilberry to more than another 1 year deal would as well in the best interest of this team.

I agree, I think his presence in the rotation is valuable, I just don't think he's elite. I like MJ, but I don't think he's worth 10 million a year on average.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by Bryan

I agree, I think his presence in the rotation is valuable, I just don't think he's elite. I like MJ, but I don't think he's worth 10 million a year on average.

And Gilberry, a guy signed mid-season has provided just as much as Geathers has.
Point being, the way the are both used you don't need high-end talent. Especially when the best DT in the NFL plays next to you. I think we could get the same production as Geathers with a lot of other mid-level talent