Andre Johnson a good fit for the Ravens?
December 9, 2009 by Staff
Filed under All Sports
The Houston Texans are abysmal.
Well, not really. But in comparison to where everyone thought they would be at this point to where they actually are, the 2009 NFL season has been a complete mess for this young, upstart team. We’re talking about a team that was 5-3 entering Week 9, and now they are 5-7 entering Week 14 with no chance to make the NFL playoffs. Things have obviously gone terribly wrong.
And when things go wrong, more so than in any other league, something must be changed. In the Texans’ case, you can rest assure that there will be some discussion as to whether or not a change needs to be made the head coaching position. And from a player’s point of view, you can be sure that some high-caliber players will want out of Houston.
A few weeks ago, ESPN the Magazine did a story on Andre Johnson, the Texans standout wide receiver. For the most part, the story detailed Johnson’s determination, will and his dedication to the game and his teammates. But the underlying message in the story was that Andre Johnson is all about winning, and if Houston isn’t a place where he can win, then he would seriously consider doing something to get out of Houston. Well, a 5-7 record will do that to you.
You can’t blame Johnson for wanting out. More than likely, he will finish this season as the NFL’s leading wide receiver in terms of yardage (he is currently 14 yards behind leader Randy Moss), and this will be his second year in a row as the receiving champion. Maybe if his name was Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Keyshawn Johnson, then Andre Johnson might be satisfied with just “getting the damn ball.” But from what I read in that ESPN story, that’s not the case. Johnson is about winning, and he’s willing to leave the team that drafted him in order to do so.
So if that’s the case, which teams could use Johnson’s talents and provide him with the winning atmosphere that he needs. Here are the top 5 teams that should be in the Andre Johnson sweepstakes next spring—if he indeed asks to be traded after the season is over.
5. New York Jets
Yes, the Jets do have Braylon Edwards, but if you watched last Thursday’s NFL game between the Jets and the Bills, you can understand why Edwards’ inconsistency may prevent the Jets from signing Edwards to a long-term deal in the off-season. If the Jets have any doubts about Edwards, then Johnson could be the guy they go after. The Jets are on the up tick, so long as Mark Sanchez continues to get better this season, there’s no reason to believe that they won’t be legitimate playoff contenders in 2010.
4. Tennessee Titans
The Titans would be higher on my list if I were certain that Vince Young is going to become a polished pocket passer that could get Andre Johnson the ball as often as a player of his talent needs to get the ball. Having said that, Johnson is all about winning, and the Titans seemed poised to return to their winning ways in 2010, so long as they can avoid the disastrous start to the season they had this year. With Chris Johnson at running back, Johnson won’t have to worry about a double team for years to come.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
Now that winning is the new trend in Cincinnati, the Bengals would be a great fit for Andre Johnson, as the Bengals are really in need of a new #1 wide receiver. That’s not to say that Chad Ochocinco has slowed down that much, but he is getting older, and the contract issues never seem to go away. Besides, the Bengals, and Carson Palmer, were at their best when there were two #1 wide receivers in the Bengals offense.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens would be my #1 choice if it weren’t for the fact that their defense is getting older and more brittle, and I’m not sure how long they’ll remain a playoff contending type of team. That said, the Ravens have at least another year or two of having a defense that can help them get to the playoffs, and the development of Joe Flacco is reason to believe that their offense is going to be better than ever in the years to come. With Ray Rice providing explosive plays, and given how the Ravens offensive line is built for the future, Andre Johnson could be the missing piece to a Ravens offense that doesn’t have a true #1 wide receiver.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
As explosive as the Eagles wide receivers are, neither DeSean Jackson nor Jeremy Maclin has proven to be a go-to wide receiver when critical plays need to be made in a game. For that reason, both of them are perfect #2 and #3 wide receivers that will keep the Eagles explosive for years to come. However, the addition of Andre Johnson to this team would be undeniably beneficial to both parties. The Eagles offense would gain a reliable receiver that is dependable over the middle of the field and on 3rd downs. They also get a guy that demands a double-team and can further open up the field for Jackson and Maclin. And for Andre’s sake, he gets a chance to play for a great quarterback in Donovan McNabb and be a part of franchise that has only missed the playoffs twice in this decade—that’s fewer playoff absences than the New England Patriots. Yeah, Andre Johnson could get used to winning in the city of Brotherly Love.
