ESPND: Matt Johnson might run out of time

[WoodysGirl]

Oct 22
5:44
PM CT

By Todd Archer (http://search.espn.go.com/archer_todd/) | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys are not ready to end Matt Johnson (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/15119/matt-johnson)'s rookie season before it could ever really begin, but it is part of the discussion now that the safety has suffered his third hamstring injury since June.

“I can’t tell you how well he practiced for two weeks,” coach Jason Garrett said. “He really practiced well. Everything we’ve seen from him has been so positive, so we were really disappointed when that happened because he’s been a recurring theme for him. He’s one of those guys that’s so conscientious and tried to do the right things the right way with the right treatment and all that. It’s particularly disappointing. We’ve just got to see the next few days, couple weeks and see if he responds well at all because you’re measuring how many weeks are left in the season, how many weeks he’ll be on the shelf and try to make your best guess. You don’t want to waste that roster spot all year long, so at some point there’s going to be a decision we have to make. We don’t think we have to make that decision right now with 10 games to go.”

Read the rest: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4699950/matt-johnson-might-run-out-of-time

[jobberone]

disappointing.

[Teague31]

IR him and be done with it.

[Rynie]

IR him and be done with it.

I say just cut him. As soon as his hamstring heals (for the 2nd time), he will trip brushing his teeth and tear a pectoral muscle or something.

[TheCoolFan]

Too frail...we gotta rid the locker room of the glass bodies.

[Idgit]

Great to hear how highly the team thinks of him. Hopefully, he makes it back this season.

[dogberry]

I'll assume his roster spot is matched up with Kowalski.

[JonJon]

It seems like he has everything the team is looking for except for being able to stay healthy. I wouldn't want to give up on him just yet. Put him on IR, but don't cut him.

[AmishCowboy]

It seems like he has everything the team is looking for except for being able to stay healthy. I wouldn't want to give up on him just yet. Put him on IR, but don't cut him. It would be stupid to cut him

[burmafrd]

IR the kid and have Woicik work him hard in the offseason. Then next camp see how he does.

[Oh_Canada]

It seems like he has everything the team is looking for except for being able to stay healthy. I wouldn't want to give up on him just yet. Put him on IR, but don't cut him.

I agree-Like most Cowboy fans, I had some frustration at this guy's inability to stay healthy. However after listening to JG's comments, I feel it's too important a position to cut a guy who looks like he might be a player.

[Gaede]

I agree-Like most Cowboy fans, I had some frustration at this guy's inability to stay healthy. However after listening to JG's comments, I feel it's too important a position to cut a guy who looks like he might be a player.


Definitely. That's some good praise from Garrett. It's promising, for sure.

[Idgit]

It would be stupid to cut him

I read that as an emotional overreaction to disappointment that the player hasn't been able to stay healthy.

If he's got the potential to be a long-term starter at Safety, of course you keep him.

[WoodysGirl]

It seems like he has everything the team is looking for except for being able to stay healthy. I wouldn't want to give up on him just yet. Put him on IR, but don't cut him.
Just from reading another article, he was supposed to be active for the first time against Carolina.

So he's either got some really bad luck or somebody put some juju in his system that he can't seem to shake.

[JonJon]

Just from reading another article, he was supposed to be active for the first time against Carolina.

So he's either got some really bad luck or somebody put some juju in his system that he can't seem to shake.

Wow....I feel sorry for him. But at least we know that he has the mental aspect down enough to where the team trust him to be on the field, even if only in a special teams capacity. I hope his hamstring issues are resolved at least by the second half of the season. Every bit of experience he can get now is going to help him going into next season.

[silver]

IR him and Jones the punter and bring up Kowalski and some extra ST help. No need to save a roster spot if he never practices and if healthy would hardly see the field. Let someone else have a shot.

[AdamJT13]

IR him and Jones the punter and bring up Kowalski and some extra ST help. No need to save a roster spot if he never practices and if healthy would hardly see the field.

He would have been active if he had been healthy, so he has more immediate value to the team than guys who are healthy but inactive. Considering that we have two punters on our roster right now, we're not desperate for his roster spot. If Johnson's latest hamstring problem is only a minor setback and he could be ready in a few weeks, it might be worth waiting.

[JsnSA]

Was he injury prone in college? I know he keeps getting these hamstring injuries but its quite possible its just one lingering injury and the real issue is him trying to come back before its ready.

Sometimes those muscle injuries just take time. If thats the case, you don't want to cut him over that if he really shows the potential they always claim he has.

[silver]

He would have been active if he had been healthy, so he has more immediate value to the team than guys who are healthy but inactive. Considering that we have two punters on our roster right now, we're not desperate for his roster spot. If Johnson's latest hamstring problem is only a minor setback and he could be ready in a few weeks, it might be worth waiting.

I don't know whose place Johnson would take on game day. Frampton, Holmes, Dunbar, Hannah, Lemon? It seems to me those guys are special teams contributors. Maybe Frampton since Johnson would add a bit more on a prevent defense if he's the player we think he is. I'm not sure he'd see much playing time if healthy. Would he be good enough to eventually start in front of McCrary?

[T-RO]

It's good news in a dark, twisted sort of way.

You get an impression the kid must be a good player...if they are this unwilling to shelve him for the season.

[silver]

I read that we signed Charlie Peprah SS so that might be the reason behind sending Johnson to the IR if that's the case.

[WoodysGirl]

I don't know whose place Johnson would take on game day. Frampton, Holmes, Dunbar, Hannah, Lemon? It seems to me those guys are special teams contributors. Maybe Frampton since Johnson would add a bit more on a prevent defense if he's the player we think he is. I'm not sure he'd see much playing time if healthy. Would he be good enough to eventually start in front of McCrary?
According to either this article or another one about the subject, Rob was working both Frampton and Johnson at the same spot.

Matt's hammy made the decision easy.

[cowboys2233]

It's good news in a dark, twisted sort of way.

You get an impression the kid must be a good player...if they are this unwilling to shelve him for the season.

Could be fool's gold though. I believe there are players who are more prone to hamstring pulls than others, based on their physiology. If the quad muscles are too developed relative to the muscles in the back of the leg, or if some of the muscles in the back of the leg are too short and compact, hamstring pulls can become a chronic issue that can't really be fixed.

My wife had a similar issue in her calf muscles, the fascia surrounding the muscles were too tight and she had chronic pain as a result. She had surgery in which they cut through this fascia and actually lengthened the muscles and the pain has disappeared almost entirely. Not sure if this is something could even do in the upper leg, but it makes sense that some of the same physiological principles that were affecting her might affect guys like Johnson or Miles Austin.