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No more witness protection program for Tank Johnson
1:48 PM Mon, Jul 28, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips
Tank Johnson wisely was pretty quiet when he arrived at Valley Ranch last season, choosing to lay low and try to fit in after his NFL suspension ended.
We're seeing now why Tank was so popular with his Bears coaches and teammates even after Chicago cut him because of his legal woes. This dude is a genuinely likable, jolly big fella. He's filled Jason Ferguson's role as a jokester nose tackle.
Tank, who often plays to the crowd during breaks in practice, said he's never had more fun at training camp. After spending time last summer in a Chicago jail, he seems to really appreciate this opportunity.
"I was in witness protection," Tank said with a big grin. "I'm out now, so I can come out and do my thing a little bit and have fun with this team. This team is a lot of fun, and if you're not a part of it, you're missing out."
And Tank is playing well, too. I wouldn't expect a NT controversy, because Jay Ratliff got an $8 million signing bonus and has been the best D-linemen in camp. The Cowboys are toying with the idea of bumping Ratliff to left DE on occasion, putting him next to Tank, who will get some playing time to keep the 302-pound Ratliff fresh anyway.
And Tank should be much more disruptive when he gets on the field than last season, when he was a nonfactor. He says he slimmed down but added strength over the offseason, and he's comfortable in the scheme after last year's transition from 4-3 DT to 3-4 NT.
"I can play fast," he said. "I'm not as hesitant when I get off the ball now. I know where I'm going, so I'm there full speed. That makes a world of difference."
1:48 PM Mon, Jul 28, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips
Tank Johnson wisely was pretty quiet when he arrived at Valley Ranch last season, choosing to lay low and try to fit in after his NFL suspension ended.
We're seeing now why Tank was so popular with his Bears coaches and teammates even after Chicago cut him because of his legal woes. This dude is a genuinely likable, jolly big fella. He's filled Jason Ferguson's role as a jokester nose tackle.
Tank, who often plays to the crowd during breaks in practice, said he's never had more fun at training camp. After spending time last summer in a Chicago jail, he seems to really appreciate this opportunity.
"I was in witness protection," Tank said with a big grin. "I'm out now, so I can come out and do my thing a little bit and have fun with this team. This team is a lot of fun, and if you're not a part of it, you're missing out."
And Tank is playing well, too. I wouldn't expect a NT controversy, because Jay Ratliff got an $8 million signing bonus and has been the best D-linemen in camp. The Cowboys are toying with the idea of bumping Ratliff to left DE on occasion, putting him next to Tank, who will get some playing time to keep the 302-pound Ratliff fresh anyway.
And Tank should be much more disruptive when he gets on the field than last season, when he was a nonfactor. He says he slimmed down but added strength over the offseason, and he's comfortable in the scheme after last year's transition from 4-3 DT to 3-4 NT.
"I can play fast," he said. "I'm not as hesitant when I get off the ball now. I know where I'm going, so I'm there full speed. That makes a world of difference."
