Brain Fertilizer

I'm not all that concerned about Derrick Johnson not being signed yet.

Now, I'm not exactly excited that he's not signed. He's fast, even on NFL terms. He's a playmaker, even on NFL terms. He's a significant addition, even on NFL terms. He's the one guy who could come in and make the starting squad on pure athletic ability alone, and win a few games for us.

But couldn't he still do that missing part of camp? Because it's based on his pure ability, not how well he learns all the schemes. Tony Gonzales missed part of camp and still made a difference. Derrick Johnson may be more skilled than TG.

From my thinking, we signed the the two guys it was most important to have under contract when training camp opens: Boomer Grigsby and Alphonso Hodge, because these are two guys who could use every single possible snap to help them be ready to contribute this season...and maybe even start...and maybe even open the season in a starting position. It's a long-shot for either, sure, which is why it is vital for them to be in training camp from day one.

Boomer has the attitude to be an amazing MLB, he hits and tackles like a madman, and he seems to get underestimated alot. That might not be enough. Hodge was a pretty decent shut-down corner in college. His weaknesses were tackling and interceptions. But if McLeon and Ambrose have both lost too many steps, we may need someone who can just do a credible job against a #2 receiver, with Surtain on the other side taking the #1, and having Knight, Bell, and Surtain getting the INTs.

One other thing about Derrick Johnson. As long as he gets at least half of training camp, he can start the season as a situation/role player, splitting time with, say, Keyaron Fox. From everything I've heard, Key Fox would have been a credible, perhaps even solid starter at one of the OLB positions had Johnson not fallen into our lap. We literally may have gone from having three sub-par starters at LB last year to 5 legitimate starters in just one off-season. That's nearly an embarassment of riches.

So, sure, I'd love to have Derrick Johnson sign today and in camp tomorrow. But we've got some time, and our season doesn't hinge upon his signing.