49ers Steve Johnson Wants Role of No. 3 Receiver
-
Updated: August 22, 2014
While in Buffalo for three seasons from 2010 through 2012, Steven Johnson surpassed the 1,000 receiving yards barrier per season three consecutive seasons.
However two seasons later he is making a transition in San Francisco to be a role player.
Questions have been raised in San Francisco about whether the veteran Johnson has a lock on the No. 3 receiver position. On Thursday, when asked about the role of Johnson on the team, Greg Roman the offensive coordinator simply said the 49ers do not put numbers on the different receiver positions.
Roman was pushed by reporters as to whether Johnson would play when the team went to a three-receiver formation.
Roman answered that it depends, it really depends, said Roman, as there is flexibility there that the team has.
Some local sports columnists in the Bay Area suggest that Johnson is not even guaranteed to make the roster, with his salary of nearly $4 million, which is a large piece of change for a player who is just a reserve.
One reporter also said that quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Johnson did not have chemistry between them. OC Roman did admit that Johnson needed to develop chemistry with Kaepernick.
Johnson himself knows that he no longer is a featured part of an offense.
He said he was quite sure that everyone knows that Boldin and Crab will own the bulk of the receptions this season and the rest of us are fitting in behind the two of them.
In preseason, Johnson is competing against Quinton Patton, Brandon Lloyd and Bruce Ellington a rookie for reps.
It does not seem logical the 49ers would opt for Lloyd instead of Johnson, but it is nearly certain that as of yet the No. 3 receiving job is still up for grabs, with just two preseason games left to secure it.
Related Posts
