introduction upon signing with the Buffalo Bills this spring
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#1: introduction upon signing with the Buffalo Bills this spring Autor: elaine95,
Poslato: Sub Jun 29, 2019 7:51 am
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ORCHARD PARK http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/germaine-pratt-jersey-cheap , N.Y. (AP) — Cornerback Kevin Johnson required little introduction upon signing with the Buffalo Bills this spring while attempting to put behind his injury-troubled past with Houston Texans.Johnson was already familiar with Bills defensive backs coach John Butler, who held the same role during Johnson’s first three seasons in Houston. And then there was the surprising warm welcome the 2015 first-round draft pick received from Bills starter Tre’Davious White.“I was like, ‘Man, I’m happy you’re here because you remind me so much of myself,'” White said, recalling the first conversation he had shortly after Johnson signed a one-year deal with Buffalo in March. “I was like, ‘That’s what I need. I need somebody that’s going to push me in practice.'”Though the two never played together or knew each other for that matter, White became a big fan after Johnson was selected by Houston with the 16th pick out of Wake Forest. White, then entering his junior season at LSU, was such a student of football he would study each of the top cornerback selections to see how he compared and what he needed to work on to improve his own game.What stood out about Johnson was his remarkable footwork.“His footwork is crazy. He has elite quickness, elite change of the direction,” White said. “It’s just unfortunate the injury stuff that he can’t control has shorted him up to this point and time. But when he’s on the field and he’s healthy, he’s a great, great corner. He’s going to be good for us.”The sentiment is shared by Johnson, who is competing for the starting job opposite White, and attempting to kick-start a career after a series of injuries limited him to playing a combined 19 games in his past three seasons following a promising rookie year.“It’s frustrating, but through all that I feel like I’m battle tested because of it,” Johnson said, referring to his past.“I don’t necessarily say I feel I have to prove anything. But for me Ryan Finley Jersey , I want to finish what I started,” he added. “And that’s just something that motivates me.”Johnson’s versatility stood out during his first season with Houston, for whom he had 11 starts in 17 games — including one in the playoffs — while splitting time at all four secondary positions.The troubles began when he missed the final 10 games of the 2016 season after breaking his foot in a 26-23 overtime win against Indianapolis. Johnson was credited with 10 tackles and a pass defended in that game while missing just one snapplaying through the injury — while knowing it would likely be his final game of the season.The following year, Johnson missed four games with a sprained knee. And then came last year, with his season ending during the Texans’ opener when he sustained his second concussion in a month’s span.Houston elected to release Johnson rather than pick up the fifth-year contract option, valued at $9 million.The 26-year-old Johnson met with several teams before signing a one-year contract with Buffalo.Reuniting with assistant coach Butler played a factor, as did the chance to play in a defense that favors defensive backs, and finished allowing the second-fewest yards in the NFL last season. Getting recruited by White didn’t hurt, either.“That was awesome. This is a respect thing,” Johnson said of having a fan in White. “I’ve got the same mutual respect for Tre’ and his ability to play the game.”While White’s starting spot is locked up, Johnson’s future is less certain. He’s competing with returning starter Levi Wallace and free-agent addition E.J. Gaines, who returned to Buffalo after spending last season in Cleveland.Johnson has shown glimpses of his ability during spring practices, in which he had three interceptions before the Bills opened their three-day mandatory minicamp Tuesday. Butler said he sees the same physical abilities the 6-foot Johnson displayed during his firstthree seasons in Houston. The only question is whether he can stay healthy.Johnson said he’s not once felt sorry for himself over what’s happened.“I believe in myself,” Johnson said. “I don’t think I ever shook my head. I just embraced it all. And I think that’s what makes me me now.”NOTES: C Mitch Morse has begun practicing after having surgery to repair a groin injury shortly after signing with the Bills. … WR Cole Beasley practiced on a limited basis after having a similar operation as Morse. … WR Robert Foster was held out of practice after hurting his foot last week. FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Jason Witten talks a lot about just wanting to blend in now that he’s back for a club-record 16th season with the Dallas Cowboys following a year in retirement.Ask about playing time among a group of decidedly younger tight ends, and, well, the franchise leader in catches and yards receiving doesn’t seem quite sure what to say.In other words, an 11-time Pro Bowler many consider an easy choice for the Pro Football Hall of Fame whenever he retires for good just isn’t comfortable accepting the idea of fewer snaps when he took almost all of them for 15 years.“Those coaches work long hours; they’re smart http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/renell-wren-jersey-cheap ,” Witten said a week before getting all the first-team reps in the only offseason practice reporters saw in which he participated. “I think that I can’t worry about how that plays out. My job is to kind of make it tough on them. We all benefit if that’s the case.”Witten is back after just a year as lead analyst on “Monday Night Football” because he missed playing and thought the Cowboys looked like future contenders for a Super Bowl — something he could never deliver — despite a divisional playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams last January.The 37-year-old is also back because, unlike best friend and former Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, the Cowboys hadn’t replaced him. Dak Prescott sent Romo into retirement/broadcasting with a debut worthy of the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award after the 10-year starter got hurt in 2016.The only experienced tight end trying to replace Witten last season — 2015 seventh-round pick Geoff Swaim — is in Jacksonville now after another injury-plagued year.Blake Jarwin, an undrafted pass catcher lacking Witten’s blocking ability, had the biggest impact by tying the club record for tight ends with three touchdown catches in a game , but not until a meaningless regular-season finale.And then there’s Dalton Schultz, drafted in the fourth round about a week before Witten announced his sudden retirement last year . He went from thinking he’d have a year to learn from one of the best, to not, to Witten leading the tight end room — and probably taking a lot of the snaps.“I was saying this when I got drafted last year, he’s only going to be good for this organization, no matter what,” Schultz said. “He was my idol growing up, which is weird. Don’t tell him I said that. Just to have a guy that you literally grew up watching, trying to emulate in your room, is pretty cool.”Witten didn’t get his old locker back, or his parking space at the practice facility. He appeared in the locker room only once in the three days it was open to reporters during offseason workouts. The team’s mandatory minicamp starts Tuesday.But his presence on the field was unmistakable, even on the days he didn’t participate in drills. During simple footwork sessions, Witten worked alongside tight ends coach Doug Nussmeier, another who joined the Cowboys last year only to discover Witten wouldn’t be there.“There’s nothing he hasn’t seen Michael Jordan Jersey ,” Jarwin said. “It’s always incredible just trying to get some input from him. Even the small stuff and what he sees and when we do things right and when we do things wrong, he’s always there to help us along. It’s been great so far.”With Witten, the Cowboys have one of two tight ends in NFL history with at least 1,000 catches and 10,000 yards. The other, Tony Gonzalez, will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in August after being voted in on his first try.A third-round draft pick by Dallas in 2003, Witten figures to build on the club records of 1,152 catches and 12,448 yards. The 16th season will break a tie with defensive end Ed “Too Tall” Jones, safety Bill Bates and late offensive lineman Mark Tuinei for the most among Cowboys.While Witten never has been a prolific scorer, he needs six receiving touchdowns to break Dez Bryant’s team record of 73. Of course, numbers have nothing to do with why he came back.For that answer, look to Prescott and even younger backfield mate Ezekiel Elliott, already a two-time NFL rushing champion. Or a defense led by passing rushing star DeMarcus Lawrence and promising young linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch.The Cowboys have the pieces, and now Witten is another. Anything less than the franchise’s first trip to the NFC championship game since the last of its five Super Bowl titles during the 1995 season will be a disappointment.“I kind of like that the back’s against the wall for the whole football team, the whole organization,” Witten said. “I want those guys to know that I’m just a part of that. I want to be a part of it. It’s as simple as that. I didn’t overthink it. The fire was too strong.”
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