Thanks to Boldin and Fitzgerald, Johnson goes unnoticed

By Connor Byrne  |   Monday, May 29, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Arizona Cardinals
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When thinking of the Arizona Cardinals' receiving corps, the names Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald most notably come to mind. Rightfully so, since both of the youngsters caught over 100 passes last season, which is incredibly rare among a team's tandem of wideouts. Because of that dynamic duo, the Cardinals' No. 3 receiver, Bryant Johnson, is rarely thought of. That's unfortunate, seeing as Johnson is one of the better slot targets in the NFL.

In his first three seasons, the 6-3, 214-pound Johnson has consistently been a solid weapon for former Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown, as well as veteran Kurt Warner. As a rookie in 2003, he wasn't necessarily considered a good first round investment. He started eight games, but caught just 35 passes. In his sophomore season in the pros, Johnson started in 11 games and showed vast improvement, with 49 catches. Finally, last season Johnson only started four games because of Boldin and Fitzgerald, and he caught 40 passes, which is very good for a slot receiver.

Because of the aforementioned top two receivers in Arizona, Johnson is almost never counted among the team's best offensive weapons. However, both McCown and Warner leaned on him in certain difficult situations last year.

The only problem with Johnson has been his inadequate touchdown-catch production, as he has just a trio of scores in his three-year career. In fairness to the former Penn State star, he never necessarily had stability at the quarterback position until some points last season. McCown was always wishy-washy with his production, while Warner showed flashes of brilliance late in the 2005 season.

The key for Johnson next season will be how the soon-to-be 35-year-old Warner can produce. If the quarterback plays as brilliantly as he did in the waning games of last season, Johnson's production should be terrific for a slot wideout. However, if Warner reverts to the same struggles he had in 2002 and 2003, Johnson's output likely won't be anything worth talking about.

In the event that Warner plays poorly, the reins will likely be handed to the Cardinals' first-round pick from last April, Matt Leinart. During his career at USC, Leinart's overall record was a jaw-dropping 37-2. He never necessarily had incredible arm strength, but he was suited perfectly for the West Coast. Since Leinart is still out west, his arm will hold up just fine, and that's great news for the 25-year-old Johnson. Leinart leaned on all of his receivers in college, and will probably do the same in the NFL. Thus, Johnson will be important to his success, too.

Much like every player in the league, Boldin and Fitzgerald aren't impervious to injury. Boldin has missed eight contests from various wounds the last two years, including a pair of games last season. Meanwhile, Fitzgerald is yet to miss a game in his opening two seasons, but that doesn't mean he never will. Should one of them go down for an extended period of time, Johnson will be counted on heavily to pick up the slack. Obviously, Johnson isn't wishing hurt on either of his teammates, but he realizes he must rise to the occasion if one of them sustains an injury.

Undoubtedly, the Arizona Cardinals' offense seems like a powder keg waiting to explode in '06. Too often, Boldin and Fitzgerald are thought of as the only dependable targets in Arizona's passing game. However, Johnson deserves to be in that class, too, since he'll be every bit as key to offensive success in the desert next season.

--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com

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