Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

[The Spaz]

Bills defensive tackle Spencer Johnson flew under the radar when he signed with Buffalo as the club also completed the trade for Marcus Stroud on the same day. Johnson is used to taking a back seat to Pro Bowl players having done that with Pat and Kevin Williams in Minnesota. But a former and now current teammate of Johnson's believes the five-year veteran will open some eyes once the season rolls around.

"He's not very flashy or very verbose," said Bills center Melvin Fowler. "He stays under the radar, but comes in and brings his lunchpail and gets the job done every time out. A lot of coaches and players are going to see that type of work ethic and when we start playing games it's going to come to fruition and you'll see what Spencer Johnson is all about."

http://buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=5940

[Meathead]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

yeah well we will see

my guess is that the are going to use him as a second tier rotation guy and also try him out at end sometimes essentially replacing anthony dumbassgrove as a designated backfield disruptor

i cant see a de that light being used for regular duty inside all the time

[DraftBoy]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Fowler using the word verbose is just funny to me

[raphael120]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Fowler- "Well me and Spencer, we have a lot in common, he's a fat dude that's a backup, and I'm a fat dude who SHOULD be a backup."

[ddaryl]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

I think Spencer Johnson could end up being our best DT. Stroud was a solid pick up, but Johnson is the one I am more intrigued with. Stroud is beat up some and probably won't ever return to his top pro bowl form. He is still an upgrade over what we had , but Johnson is young and is ready to get noticed IMO. he'll

[yordad]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

I wonder if Spencer can snap the ball.

[Gunzlingr]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

That is a lot of sports cliches right there.

[The Spaz]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Fowler using the word verbose is just funny to me

He's a smart guy apparently.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Well it's good to see a team mate speak highly of another team mate.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Well it's good to see a team mate speak highly of another team mate.

[patmoran2006]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

Can spencer play center for Melvin?

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

yeah well we will see

my guess is that the are going to use him as a second tier rotation guy and also try him out at end sometimes essentially replacing anthony dumbassgrove as a designated backfield disruptor

i cant see a de that light being used for regular duty inside all the time

Spencer Johnson will be replacing Hargrove, but sort of in a different way:

Despite his lack of size, Johnson played primarily on the inside with the Vikings, spelling Pat Williams and Kevin Williams and taking a few snaps at DE. On the other hand, Hargrove was a DE that the Bills were trying to use the way the NY Giants used DE Justin Tuck, bringing him into the middle at DT in obvious passing situations to use his quickness advantage against the offense's interior linemen to get a rush up the middle.

I think the Bills will primarily use Spencer Johnson in a rotation with John McCargo at the 3-tech DT spot, with M.Stroud and K.Williams rotating at the 1-tech DT spot--perhaps with McCargo taking some snaps at the 1-tech spot and/or S.Johnson taking some snaps at DE (depending on whether Kelsay, Schobel and Denney can stay healthy and they are able to sign another pass rushing DE like J.Hall).

Because he has more experience and has had some success as a pass rusher inside, Spencer Johnson may be given a chance to push McCargo for playing time at the 1-tech spot, but I think his value is going to be as a rotational player who can spell the DEs occasionally if necessary and give McCargo a chance to take some snaps at the 1-tech position for M.Stroud (when Stroud needs a rest), in addition to spelling McCargo.

Johnson and McCargo give the Bills some interesting flexibility in the interior of their defensive line. In fact, all four (five, if you count Jason Jefferson) of the Bills current DTs have played both DT spots at some point in their careers, which should make rotating them in different situations much easier.

Exactly how much the Bills will use Spencer Johnson at DE will depend on how well their DEs hold up health-wise and whether they are able to add another pass-rushing DE, like J.Hall, in free agency. I think that what they do there will probably have an impact on whether they draft a DT or DE in the middle rounds of the draft--I think they will pick a player to develop at one of those two positions, but I don't think that they have enough picks at present to grab a prospect at both positions given their needs at other positions. And, that, IMHO, will then impact how much they will use S.Johnson at DE.

As much as Hargrove added to the team emotionally, I actually think that S.Johnson may add more to the overall effectiveness of the defense than Hargrove would have, especially if the Bills are able to add a veteran DE like Hall to their DE rotation.

[Gunzlingr]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

I am surprised that there was no mention of him being a team player, a high motor guy, or a guy that gives 110%.

[raphael120]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

I am surprised that there was no mention of him being a team player, a high motor guy, or a guy that gives 110%.

Sometimes we forget that player can actually be GOOD and not be labelled as the "high motor guy" aka "he sucks but least the little guy tries!"

[jamze132]

Re: Melvin Fowler On Spencer Johnson

I am surprised that there was no mention of him being a team player, a high motor guy, or a guy that gives 110%.

I agree, it's kind of odd. But I think the "high motor" thing is reserved for fat white guys that suck at football.