Quarterback Johnson

I really think it was a mistake not to sign this young man. I love Batch and all he's done for the organization, but his career is certainly towards its close. Johnson, if given time and coaching, could develop into something special I think.

 

Batch's intangibles make him a good keep here. He's a hometowner who can manage the game if called upon. He also acts as an additional coach on the sidelines - not just assisting Ben, but acting as an extra set of eyes for both the QB coach and the OC. On top of all that, when receivers and backs rotate in and out, he is there to provide information on what the defense is doing, etc. Add to all of this that he is an excellent teammate and a really good athlete, and there is no doubt that Batch provides much more to this team than a young 3rd-stringer would provide. As an example - look at Dixson the past couple of years. All you heard from him was whining about wanting to get an opportunity to start. Isn't he greeting customers at Walmart this season?

Johnson is NOT something special. Otherwise, he would have been a high draft pick and not a walk-on. As much as we'd like to think that the next franchise quarterback is going to come out of the blue, the statistics show that it doesn't happen at the quarterback position. The percentage of STARTING quarterbacks, much less top performers who come out of the first or second round is extremely high - much higher than at any other position. When the Steelers are ready to begin to groom Ben's replacement, we'll know it, because they'll draft a QB high and even take a few risks in the draft to get who they want.

 

I hope we get him on the PS. One of these days Charlie really will be gone (maybe), and we'll need another QB. I do believe he's the best 4th stringer we've had around here in awhile.

 

100%.......And when 16 does retire (next season) we hire him as the QB coach!!!!

 

@bates
I appreciate your opinion. I respectfully disagree about Johnson. I do think he could develop into something special--note I didn't say that he was something special NOW, just that he could develop into such. He has shown an ability to lead the team to scores throughout the preseason, and his arm looks strong enough and accurate enough.

Thanks again for your comments!

 

Hey Romans - you have the right to disagree with me. That's fine. I would like to hear an example or two of any recent quarterbacks (last 30 years) who just walked in, out of the blue, and were developed into something special.

Our next "special" quarterback hasn't even started college yet, but when we get him, we'll know it.

Let's see - after Bradshaw who were the "special" guys?

Stoudt? Brister? O'Donnell? Slash? Tomczak? Malone? Maddox? etc. etc. etc.

 

I would say Tom Brady and Kurt Warner were "out of the blue" guys. Not comparing Johnson to them or saying that you're wrong. I'm just saying they were not guys that anyone expected to do anything. Still it's EXTREMELY rare though.

 

Yup! The kid was OK in preseason but he wasnt anything special. And didnt beat out either backup, the end!

 

If you remember Stoudt, then you remember what everyone said about him. He was the 3rd quarterback for YEARS - and everyone thought he would come in and pick up where Bradshaw left off. Everyone though of him as "special" because he did a damned good job of holding a clipboard.

As far as Brady and Warner go - I'll give you Warner, but at least Brady was noticeable enough to get drafted - even if it was in the later rounds. So, while Brady was/is a surprise success story, he did make it into the draft. Warner was an UFA so yes - he was "out of the blue". But I would venture to say that Johnson is neither a Brady NOR a Warner.

 

If all you are suggesting is that the odds don't favor the possibility that Johnson ("a guy out of the blue") would be a good/special NFL quarterback, then I agree. But odds don't determine reality. "Special" doesn't have to mean the kid is the next Montana, Manning, Bradshaw (could he become that good? I don't know). All I was stating was that I have really liked what I have seen in Johnson and think he has a lot of potential--enough that I think giving him a roster spot would have been a smart move. I love Charlie Batch. I loved Charlie when he was playing in Detroit. But looking toward the future is not a bad thing, and I think that Johnson could be a nice part of Steeler future, if given more opportunity. Could I be wrong? Absolutely.

 

Not saying you're right OR wrong, Romans. I just don't think you cut someone with the mountain of intangibles that Batch has for someone like Johnson. It's easy for an average to below-average quarterback to look REALLY good against another team's future Walmart greeters. It makes a lot of questionable players look good. That's why cuts are so often debated as they are. Guys that looked really good in preseason end up on the cut list, leaving some to scratch their heads.

As far as Johnson being a nice part of Steeler future - I just have to wonder, "as what?" a backup QB? The Steelers have shown in Batch and Leftwich that capable backups are not too difficult to find. They also see the value of having 2 VETERAN backups who can easily manage a game when called upon and have no "starting" aspirations to cause friction in the locker room.

I'm not saying that Johnson isn't any good. He impressed them enough to make the final cut - he just doesn't fit into the Steelers plans within the timeframe for his development. If he really is "special" he'll catch on somewhere - even on the Steelers PS perhaps (though I doubt it). Nevertheless, a year or two from now, I would guess that no one will ever remember that he was in the mix, and he'll be telling stories to the folks at work about how he once had a "cup of coffee" with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

I don't get the love with Johnson on here. He looked very average to me.

 

I think he showed the ability to make a big play, and I really like how he would step up and deliver a strong throw down field. I think he has earned a year on the PS and I like the idea of him as our #3 next year assuming he improves. I like him as our backup QB long term.

 

The team needs a younger and healthier backup than Lefty and Batch, 1 big hit and both of them are gone.

 

I agree that he should be a PS guy this year. I think he can be a good backup, I do not see him as the successor to Ben (at least not now). He has shown some nice things like stepping up in the pocket, delivering a nice ball when he has a little time, and even making an audible based on the defense. He seems to have a pretty good grasp on looking over the D and seeing plays develop. So I say PS this year and then give him a shot to learn and challenge for the #3 spot next year.

 

Hah! I was just about to post exactly the same thing, but with "Mark Malone" instead of Stoudt...

 

No. Charlie Batch will live (and play) forever.

Didn't Doug Flutie play up to when he was 42 or something? I predict we will be saying exactly the same things about Batch this time next year as well. And the next...

I like Johnson, but like a lot of times with preseason, what's down on paper doesn't always tally with what happens in-game, and in-game I've not seen anything to suggest a significant upgrade to the other two other than age-wise. Which is a shame, because I'm not happy with the back-ups we have. Of course, what happens in-game in preseason doesn't always tally with regular season...

 

I would actually disagree for several reasons.
First, Assuming Ben can play to age 35, that gives him 5 yrs, so its' too early to 'groom' a young guy now.
Second, as long as this team is a contender, the ideal QB is an experienced backup who can fill in for Ben for a few games here/there as needed.
You don't want some inexperienced guy blowing a key game that cost you a division or a top seed spot.
Lastly, the NFL in general does a horrible job of developing young QBs, especially backups. They sit on the bench and rot. It's a win now
environment, and little attention goes to bringing along raw arms.

Lots of people loved Denis Dixon here, but to me he was a bad fit for this team. If you brought him along and a he developed into something, he wouldn't wait for Ben to retire, he'd have to go elsewhere. Develop him for nothing. If the experiment failed, the way you'd find out is by having stink up the joint in live action, costing you a game or two that maybe you needed.

 

While I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be on the PS, I have to wonder why the Steelers would do that. Now that the regular season is here, what would a 4th string PS quarterback do? You've got your #1 and #2 to get reps with the starters - #1 more than #2 of course, and your #3 to run the scout team. I don't see them creating reps for him in practice just to have him on the practice squad. The PS really isn't for players 54-61. It's more to add depth at practice and insurance against injury. IMO, if they were worried about injury with Batch or Leftwich, one or the other wouldn't have made the final 53 and, they certainly don't need to be 4 deep on the QB depth chart.

I wouldn't cry if Johnson made the practice squad. I just don't think the Steelers are going to do it.

 

I've always said that a young backup is neither necessary or desirable. You want the 53 men on your roster who give you the best opportunity to win. As far as developing a young quarterback - why? Can anyone name more than a handful of so-called "developmental (read 3rd string)" quarterbacks who ended up having stellar NFL careers. IMO if you are trying to develop a young quarterback, he is your #2 and you use him in practice with the starters to spell the #1. If you have a "developmental" QB as your #3, and he gets into the game, you're screwed. The Steelers do not have that problem. In the unlikely event that both Ben and Byron goes down, don't you feel a whole lot more comfortable handing the ball to Batch and still giving your team a chance to win?

As far as the NFL developing young quarterbacks goes - I don't really see any other way. Only one can play at a time and games are usually close enough that you're not going to get your #2 in the game just to get him some work. The lack of a true "minor league" in the NFL probably contributes to that issue but there's nothing that can be done about that. Maybe we need a High School model. Each team gets 95 players. 44 are "Varsity" - 44 are "Junior Varsity" and the other 7 can can be active on both teams. Play the "JV" game on Saturday and the Varsity game on Sunday. After a couple years, if a JV player doesn't make it to varsity - he gets cut.

 

To the OP, what is it that you have seen to be believe that Johnson could be something "special" as you say. In your comments on this thread, you bring up a lot of great and very good QB's. What has Johnson done and what have you seen from him that warrants him being mentioned with these very good and accomplished QB's. I for one, havent seen anything special about Johnson. Not even good enough to beat out a giant windmill and the 2012 AARP spokesman. Johnson is nothing special my friend. The Steelers heir to BR has not been drafted yet.

 

Yes next year we hire batch as some kind of coordinator and then we will still be looking for a young arm to replace Ben in years to come. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

 

I know I always seem to be asking this... but has Batch actually done any coaching? Sure, I know he's always talking to Ben on the sidelines and what not, and he's, you know, old... but that does mean he'll automatically be a good coach?

 

No - he's been playing his whole career. It is assumed that he would make a good coach, because he has been a pseudo-coach for so long on the Steelers bench. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Batch became a successful coach based on his role with the Steelers over the past decade, but one can never be sure until they make the hire. It would certainly be a popular choice - and it would keep him "available" as a player if something major were to happen.