David Johnson on dwindling role in Cardinals offense:

[football karma]

the team sees the same stuff on film that we do, but for every one you tube clip we see, the team sees 10 and in repeated slow mo

there are but a handful of guys left from the 2016 squad when DJ carried the offense -- he doesnt have equity with most of this current group

Given the better alternatives -- Kliff risks losing the respect of the team if he keep running an ineffective player out there when he has more productive alternatives

 

[wit3card]

DJ has to realize that his retirement thoughts are already a problem in his mind and hinder his playing ability. If you have doubts you will lose. Often you don't know that but you will start to lose it.

DJ has, fallen of the cliff production wise, he hesitates and that not since this season, he doesn't command respect when he runs and doesn't break tackles. What he thought would happen, if it wasn't for Drake he would have lost his role to an other RB next year, maybe even to Edmonds.

So at the end or he starts to showing something in the few chances he will get and not fumble and get us the yardage or he is gone with a june 1 cut because sincerly with one of his fumbles he cost as maybe one game.

 

[Jetstream Green]

If the guy is serious about football, he takes a restructure about his contract to continue playing. Now I am not going to hold him to that because it's a tough world and one way or another he made his money and there is life after football. Still, there is no way in hell though I let a guy like Drake leave if he seems to fit this offense to a 'T' along with Edmonds... this league is full of guys wanting to make remotely what DJ is making who are playing defense and they will give all they have which means guys like DJ will get stuffed by guys playing like fanatics which is almost required when surrounded by so many gifted athletes

 

[Jetstream Green]

When you see statements like this you have to wonder what is going on. Is it Johnson not really listening to what the coaches are telling him or are the coaches really giving him a brush off? Either way it's a cause for concern at both ends. The other unmentioned item here is where are the team captains and their involvement in this? Fitz and Shipley, in my opinion should be at least somewhat involved in this.

The communication aspects mean jack if Johnson has not shown a reason on the field to make those conversions viable in the first place... as far as teammates, that's in the locker room and privy to them which means there is a good possibility that they are involved but as fans it's not our place to know and properly run teams keep that out of the public eye

 

[Dayman]

Large second contracts for RBs are just disastrous, for the most part.

Here are the where the top 5 paid RBs rank in rushing yards this year:

1. Elliott- 5th* (12 games)
2. Gurley - 22nd
3. Bell - 19th
4. Johnson - 48th
5. Freeman - 34th

Frank Gore has more yards than 3 of these guys, and he lost his starting job weeks ago

There is a good chance that none of their teams make the playoffs, either. Well run teams don't make these types of decisions. We are not a well run team.

#keimtime

 

[Chopper0080]

Large second contracts for RBs are just disastrous, for the most part.

Here are the where the top 5 paid RBs rank in rushing yards this year:

1. Elliott- 5th* (12 games)
2. Gurley - 22nd
3. Bell - 19th
4. Johnson - 48th
5. Freeman - 34th

Frank Gore has more yards than 3 of these guys, and he lost his starting job weeks ago

There is a good chance that none of their teams make the playoffs, either. Well run teams don't make these types of decisions. We are not a well run team.

#keimtime

This is why it does not make sense to pay RBs or even draft them very high unless you have everything else in place. It is a one contract position (unless you can pay a median rate on the second) that you should use the franchise tag on if they are amazing.

If Carolina is smart, they give McCaffery his 5th year option, franchise tag, franchise tag, and then let him go. That keeps him under contract until 27.

The only other option is if they decided to pay him now by giving him a 4 year extension at 32 mil with 25 guaranteed. That keeps him at around 8 mil per year until he is about 28. He gets more guaranteed cash now and the team is not in a dispute with a 27 year old RB who wants to get paid.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

He's a conundrum now. What do you do with a player who is being paid so much for so little and who's trade value is sinking like a rock? Is it possible to trade with cash being offered as part of the deal so the new team doesn't have to absorb his entire salary or can he be traded with the Cardinals paying part of his salary such as a good portion of the guaranteed money? Keim really put the team in a pickle with the contract for Johnson. It's the second time he's paid big bucks to a player who was coming off a season ending injury.

Idk the exact rules on his contract but I know it can be done in MLB. Baseball players get traded & the trading team absorbs however much of the traded players contract agreed upon by both teams. I'm sure it's similar in the NFL. He has 5 games left to show the Cardinals what he can do, or another team? How much will he play in these last 5 games? Are the Cardinals trying to make him play harder by benching him? If we cut him loose I think it's a 16 million dollar cap hit in dead money? I think his contact says he's to make 20 million in 2020 & 16 in 2021? I may be off on those numbers a little but it's something to that effect? Obviously we need to resign KD & we still have CE, they're giving effort & DJ isn't. If DJ refuses to play up to his ability, then imo, we need to see if some team will trade for him & we pay like a portion of his contract next season, then 2021 is all on them. If that's possible? Again I don't know all the rules. People on this board know a heck of a lot more on contracts than I ever will lol.

 

[Dingding]

Cutting DJ:

Option A: 2020 Pre-6/1 Release

2020 Dead Cap: $16,200,000 ( $-1,950,000 difference)

Option B: 2020 Post-6/1 Release

2020 Dead Cap: $13,200,000 ($3,000,000 difference, but not until June 2)
2021 Dead Cap: $3,000,000

Option C: 2021 Pre-6/1 Release

2021 Dead Cap: $3,000,000 ($9,000,000 difference from his $12,000,000 salary that year)

Trading DJ

Assuming a 2020 trade, the other team would take on this salary:

2020 for other team: $11,250,000 (fully guaranteed now as of 3/15/2019)

2021 for other team: $9,000,000 ($2.1M of 2021 salary fully guarantees on 3/20/2020)


Every year of the contract there are $1.05 million in roster bonuses tied to being active, and some potential incentives

Option D: Pre-6/1 Trade

2020 Dead Cap: $6,000,000 (A $8,250,000 difference)

Option E: Post-6/1 Trade
2020 Dead Cap: $3,000,000 ($11,250,000 difference, but not until June 2)
2021 Dead Cap: $3,000,000

 

[Dingding]

Idk the exact rules on his contract but I know it can be done in MLB. Baseball players get traded & the trading team absorbs however much of the traded players contract agreed upon by both teams. I'm sure it's similar in the NFL. He has 5 games left to show the Cardinals what he can do, or another team? How much will he play in these last 5 games? Are the Cardinals trying to make him play harder by benching him? If we cut him loose I think it's a 16 million dollar cap hit in dead money? I think his contact says he's to make 20 million in 2020 & 16 in 2021? I may be off on those numbers a little but it's something to that effect? Obviously we need to resign KD & we still have CE, they're giving effort & DJ isn't. If DJ refuses to play up to his ability, then imo, we need to see if some team will trade for him & we pay like a portion of his contract next season, then 2021 is all on them. If that's possible? Again I don't know all the rules. People on this board know a heck of a lot more on contracts than I ever will lol.

Yes. Recently the Jets did just this with Leonard Williams. You can keep some of the cap hit by paying part of the contract. Sucks, but possible. Cards may even have to include a pick just to get rid of him.

Though keep in mind if he's a cancer, or never plays he's still a sunk cost of about $14 mill on your cap. Working something out may be better than having trouble in the locker room and wasting a roster spot. I wonder if Kiem has the balls to admit his mistake though.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Yes. Recently the Jets did just this with Leonard Williams. You can keep some of the cap hit by paying part of the contract. Sucks, but possible. Cards may even have to include a pick just to get rid of him.

Though keep in mind if he's a cancer, or never plays he's still a sunk cost of about $14 mill on your cap. Working something out may be better than having trouble in the locker room and wasting a roster spot. I wonder if Kiem has the balls to admit his mistake though.

So far the only word out of him negative was "welp" lol. If you wanna consider that negative? He seems like a really good guy but players get frustrated & you never know how they will react? These last 5 games...........my worst fear is this. He plays like the old DJ, the Cardinals let either CE or KD walk because DJ is making so much money, then next season he starts tanking again. That would suck.

 

[daves]

Yes. Recently the Jets did just this with Leonard Williams. You can keep some of the cap hit by paying part of the contract. Sucks, but possible. Cards may even have to include a pick just to get rid of him.

For all the people who have been suggesting doing this (and i've seen several)... how are the Cardinals BETTER by GIVING UP draft picks AND cash just to get rid of Johnson?! This is insane and will never happen. He stays on the roster until the cap hit from cutting him is less than the cap hit for keeping him. I.e. all of next season. Unless, between now and next year's trading deadline, he shows his old form and some other team is actually willing to give up a draft pick for him and at least part of his salary. But even in that scenario... if he shows his old form, why not keep him rather than eating salary just to be rid of him?!?

I get that we're all frustrated and disappointed that he no longer looks like the superstar from a couple years ago... but let's be realistic here.

...dbs

 

[Morty]

From Scott Bordow at the Athletic:

"[Johnson]dismissed the idea that he’s a different player than he was three years ago.

His general manager thinks otherwise.

Earlier Wednesday, during his weekly appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, GM Steve Keim said Johnson was being “indecisive” when running the football.

It was a rare public criticism and it didn’t sit well with Johnson. Asked about Keim’s comments, Johnson said, “Everyone has different opinions.”

Bordow also said the Cards likely will try to resign Drake.

Has Johnson explained what is going on? Has he acknowledged that his production is down?

 

[JeffGollin]

Happens all the time in the pros: Good player loses his mojo. New unsung player steps up.

To avoid "depth creep", teams have to continually re-evaluate and upgrade their rosters (lest they wake up one morning and find out that they're dead).

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

His wife got the best of both worlds, He is essentially retired, but drawing a full paycheck.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

So far the only word out of him negative was "welp" lol. If you wanna consider that negative? He seems like a really good guy but players get frustrated & you never know how they will react? These last 5 games...........my worst fear is this. He plays like the old DJ, the Cardinals let either CE or KD walk because DJ is making so much money, then next season he starts tanking again. That would suck.

Edmonds is under contract and cheap. What circumstances would ever cause the cards to “let him walk?”

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Edmonds is under contract and cheap. What circumstances would ever cause the cards to “let him walk?”

I wasn't sure about CE contract when I typed that. I'll correct that. Don't get fooled by DJ, sign KD lol.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

His wife got the best of both worlds, He is essentially retired, but drawing a full paycheck.

With Drake playing so well, the position that David Johnson has the franchise in (Thanks to Keim) is going to be the story of the offseason. I don’t see how management resolves this situation. The only way that this situation gets resolved is if he retires.

 

[Ronin]

Our new Kick Returner.

 

[TheCardFan]

BA might just be arrogant enough to think he can fix David Johnson...and maybe he can.

Old DJ would make TB offense elite.

 

[Russ Smith]

And I was totally wrong, thought we'd play him more today because of teh pass game but Drake was really good and we ran so well with him and Kyler together it made no sense to play DJ more.

Real conundrum what to do, contract is going to be an albatross next year

 

[slanidrac16]

We can’t throw away 16m in cap for nothing. Add that to the fact you have to pay someone to take his roster spot.

Simply put DJ will be on this team next year at least until game 12 or so.

the biggest challenge will be how to get the most from him as a situational back.