HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH JOHNSON: Since there's been a wide range of opinions on what Johnson would have brought to the Bills had he signed here, and whether the team really wanted him or whether he really wanted to play for Buffalo , I'll outline how things went down between him and the team. The Bills made him a multi-year offer which was very competitive and would have rewarded him further had he produced like a number two receiver.
The Johnson camp was looking for a contract similar to what Donte Stallworth (7-$35M-$10M guaranteed) or Jerry Porter (6-$30M-$10M guaranteed) received in terms of pay per season ($5M per year). The problem is Johnson has never had a 50-catch season, never had a 5 TD reception season and only once has had a season of over 600 receiving yards.
Stallworth has had two seasons of better than 50 catches, 2 seasons of more than 5 TD receptions and 4 seasons of better than 600 yards receiving.
Porter has had three seasons of better than 50 catches, 4 seasons of more than 5 TD receptions and 4 seasons of better than 600 yards receiving.
Sure Johnson can say he had less opportunity as a #3 WR, but you have to do it before teams will pay you like the guys that have. No other team was offering him a multi-year deal in the Stallworth, Porter territory.
At that point the Johnson camp decided they wanted a one-year deal.Buffalo does not give one-year deals to 26-year old players. They are trying to build something over the long haul. A one-year deal doesn't help the team. If they signed Johnson to a one-year deal and he has a big year, then re-signing the player becomes difficult, he signs elsewhere for crazy money and the Bills would be in the same boat they're in now in terms of filling the #2 receiver role.
So by late Thursday the chances of Johnson signing inBuffalo were slim to none. The Johnson camp found a team willing to offer a one-year deal in San Francisco and that's how it ended.
Tampa was never in the mix.
I also don't get the sense at all that the Bills feel not signing Johnson is in any way a setback for the club. He was a viable option they considered to fill a need and they now explore other options, which in my opinion is primarily the draft. There's nothing of any great interest on the free agent market.
The Johnson camp was looking for a contract similar to what Donte Stallworth (7-$35M-$10M guaranteed) or Jerry Porter (6-$30M-$10M guaranteed) received in terms of pay per season ($5M per year). The problem is Johnson has never had a 50-catch season, never had a 5 TD reception season and only once has had a season of over 600 receiving yards.
Stallworth has had two seasons of better than 50 catches, 2 seasons of more than 5 TD receptions and 4 seasons of better than 600 yards receiving.
Porter has had three seasons of better than 50 catches, 4 seasons of more than 5 TD receptions and 4 seasons of better than 600 yards receiving.
Sure Johnson can say he had less opportunity as a #3 WR, but you have to do it before teams will pay you like the guys that have. No other team was offering him a multi-year deal in the Stallworth, Porter territory.
At that point the Johnson camp decided they wanted a one-year deal.
So by late Thursday the chances of Johnson signing in
I also don't get the sense at all that the Bills feel not signing Johnson is in any way a setback for the club. He was a viable option they considered to fill a need and they now explore other options, which in my opinion is primarily the draft. There's nothing of any great interest on the free agent market.
sry if this was posted. i dont remember seeing anything about this though on here
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