Matt Johnson to the Bengals

[thewebboy]

According to is twitter page.

I am huge Bengals fan and I think this is a great spot for him. Dalton is clearly the starter, McCarron at #2. Outside of that it is wide open.

[Globetrotter]

According to is twitter page.

I am huge Bengals fan and I think this is a great spot for him. Dalton is clearly the starter, McCarron at #2. Outside of that it is wide open.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... the-draft/" target="_blank

[Globetrotter]

Who Dey

Gotta Love MATT JOHNSON!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqCgHfZjTMo" target="_blank

[jpfalcon09]

According to the Bengals, Matt has been waived and they have signed Joe Licata out of Buffalo.

[footballguy51]

Well, that was quick.

[jpfalcon09]

I doubt Licata sticks. The Bengals already have three QBs signed and MJ wasn't going to get a shot at the roster, just the practice squad. Hopefully he's able to land on his feet elsewhere.

[gmartin]

Cut Orlovsky in Detroit. Sign Johnson. Heck Johnson has winning record at Ford Field

[Rollo83]

Swapping Johnson out for Licata makes no sense to me. We all watched them both play the last three years. There is no way Licata is the better quarterback, no matter how you evaluate them.

Johnson has better movement in the pocket. Johnson has better anticipation and throws better into tight windows. Johnson throws the better deep ball. Johnson is way better when the play breaks down. Johnson takes better care of the ball based on his TD/INT ratio.

Licata is 3 inches taller. Is that what really matters to NFL teams?

[hammb]

Swapping Johnson out for Licata makes no sense to me. We all watched them both play the last three years. There is no way Licata is the better quarterback, no matter how you evaluate them.

Johnson has better movement in the pocket. Johnson has better anticipation and throws better into tight windows. Johnson throws the better deep ball. Johnson is way better when the play breaks down. Johnson takes better care of the ball based on his TD/INT ratio.

Licata is 3 inches taller. Is that what really matters to NFL teams?

This has nothing to do with Licata being better than Johnson. He's not, at least I don't think so.

It has everything to do with the fact that after a 3 day mini camp it was readily apparent to the Bengals brass that Johnson can provide them no value for the future. So they're going to bring in another roll the dice likely no shot in hell of making the team guy and see if he shows any sparks whatsoever.


I wish Matt the best of luck, but I don't see any semblance of NFL skillset in his game. And height DOES matter in the NFL. There are a slim handful of guys that have had success at Matt's listed 6'0 size. Those few have something about their game that is EXCEPTIONAL. Vick had world class athleticism, Brees has world class accuracy/anticipation skills, Flutie had exceptional scrambling skills (if you even consider Flutie successful in the NFL, which I probably wouldn't), Russell Wilson is another exceptional mobility guy. That is pretty much it for successful 6'0 QBs in the last 30 years or so. Johnson was fighting an uphill battle from day 1. Height isn't all that matters to NFL teams, far from it, but if you don't have height you damned well better blow somebody's doors off in some other aspect of the game, and I just don't see it with Matt. He was a great MAC QB, but I just don't see NFL QB when I watch him.

[fredthefalcon]

Hammb, You were right on your list of successful NFL QB's at 6 or under. There were a number of successful ones in the 70's including Fran Tarkenton but as the players have gotten bigger and faster over the years, the number of little, dare I say, actually slightly above average height American males have dropped. One just outside your 30 year window was Joe Theismann who pretty much had his career ended in 1985 by that bone crunching sack (Lawrence Taylor?). I still can barely look at replays of that hit.

[hammb]

It was LT who ended Theisman's career.

Years earlier Turkey Jones of the Browns had a sack on him that looked like a suplex and could have busted him up pretty bad, but he managed to come back from that.

Those 2 plays exemplify exactly the issue with smaller QBs, and you'll notice that of my list of successful only Brees doesn't have elite athleticism/escapability. NFL players, if they can get a clean shot, will destroy smaller QBs. Brees survives because he's in shotgun most of the time, and gets rid of the ball so quickly.

Matt's biggest flaw, IMO, was holding the ball forever way too much, creating pressure that wasn't there. That's a death sentence for an undersized NFL QB. And he's sure as heck not an elite athlete escaping that pressure.

There could be a place for Matt in professional football. He's a hard worker, tough as heck, and he definitely has a penchant for making the plays to win games. I see him destined for the CFL if he wants to play professional football, with maybe a chance back at the NFL if he succeeds up north. I just don't see him having the talent to even hold down a practice squad spot right now...

[Flipper]

Licata is 6-2" and probably not going to stick either. Maybe MJ can hook up with the Roughriders or Eskimos up in the CFL

[jpfalcon09]

The Bengals honestly have no need for a 4th QB anyways. All they're doing is giving a look at a few guys to see if there's a diamond in the rough but with Dalton, McCarron and Wenning already in the fold, it was a losing proposition for MJ. At the very least he got a taste of the NFL, a check and a signing bonus.

[hammb]

The Bengals honestly have no need for a 4th QB anyways. All they're doing is giving a look at a few guys to see if there's a diamond in the rough but with Dalton, McCarron and Wenning already in the fold, it was a losing proposition for MJ. At the very least he got a taste of the NFL, a check and a signing bonus.

Oh yeah, none of these guys have a snowball's chance in Florida of actually making the roster.

They're looking for a camp arm to take some reps while their established Dalton/McCarron get some rest days. I suspect they'll only active 2 QBs with Wenning still PS eligible (I think). I suppose one of these guys could shock and take Wenning's spot on the PS, but that was really the only hope for MJ (or Licata now).

[apollo]

Could have waited another year to go and get cut.