The end could be coming for Calvin Johnson in Detroit

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Prime Time

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ould-be-coming-for-calvin-johnson-in-detroit/

The end could be coming for Calvin Johnson in Detroit
Posted by Mike Florio on October 7, 2014

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Ndamukong Suh may not be the only top-two pick who could soon be bidding Detroit farewell.

With Suh, the second overall pick in 2010, poised to hit the open market in March, the Lions likewise could decide to tell Calvin Johnson, the second overall pick in 2007, to hit the road at about the same time.

Crazy as it seems, Johnson carries a cap number of $20.558 million into the next league year. While a restructuring that converts, for example, $10 million of his $12.5 million salary into a signing bonus could cut the cap number down to $12.558 million, the maneuver would drive his 2016 cap number of $24 million up to $26 million.

At some point, Johnson may have to take less money in order to stick around. If he doesn’t want to do that, the Lions may have to part ways with him.

Johnson’s health will be a major factor in the final analysis. While he has missed only seven games in seven-plus seasons, Johnson lately seems to be always injured, always either missing practice or limited. And always questionable to play. Currently, he’s dealing with a chronic ankle injury that may cause him to miss a game or two.

No matter good Johnson may be when healthy, at some point the total analysis will point to spending that money elsewhere.

The fact that the Lions seemed to be interested in trading up from No. 10 to get receiverSammy Watkins or receiver Mike Evans and ultimately decided to use that pick on hybrid tight end/receiver Eric Ebron (who has only eight catches for 80 yards this season) suggests that the Lions are at least considering the wisdom of reallocating their dollars away from a guy who is one of the best receivers in league history when healthy, but who isn’t healthy enough often enough to justify a cap number that shoots from $13 million to more than $20 million in less than six months.
 

Thordaddy

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Gawd I remember Namath's 400k contract making headline news
 

LesBaker

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the Lions are a big group of knuckleheads they can fuck up a wet dream
 

Warner4Prez

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I can't imagine how good Calvin would be with a better QB. Stafford's decision making has always been questionable at best, and it might be a case where the receiver actually made the QB. I could see Denver or New England leveraging a draft after this season for one last shot at a Championship.
 

DaveFan'51

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I can't imagine how good Calvin would be with a better QB. Stafford's decision making has always been questionable at best, and it might be a case where the receiver actually made the QB. I could see Denver or New England leveraging a draft after this season for one last shot at a Championship.
You could be on to something here!
 

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What a bunch of morons. Yeah let's go ahead and cut the best reciever in NFL history because he got injured for a couple games. This isn't football or anything.
 

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What a bunch of morons. Yeah let's go ahead and cut the best reciever in NFL history because he got injured for a couple games. This isn't football or anything.
huh? the article mentions health as a factor, but was primarily about financials.
 

Irish

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Florio, once again, talking out of his ass.

its hilarious that we ban a guy like Bernie Miklasz telling it like it is, but we post Florio's garbage on a daily basis.

There is absolutely no chance Calvin Johnson is cut/allowed to walk/traded.
 

HometownBoy

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Florio, once again, talking out of his ass.

its hilarious that we ban a guy like Bernie Miklasz telling it like it is, but we post Florio's garbage on a daily basis.

There is absolutely no chance Calvin Johnson is cut/allowed to walk/traded.
I agree with you on Florio, but saying Bernie tells it like it is is as questionable as Florio's muck.
 

Prime Time

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Florio, once again, talking out of his ass.

its hilarious that we ban a guy like Bernie Miklasz telling it like it is, but we post Florio's garbage on a daily basis.

There is absolutely no chance Calvin Johnson is cut/allowed to walk/traded.

Florio isn't continually trolling the Rams. No player, no matter how great he is and who counts for $20 million or more in salary, is subject to speculation. Imagine how many draft picks they could get in a trade? Nothing is impossible in the NFL.
 

Legatron4

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huh? the article mentions health as a factor, but was primarily about financials.

Yes but it sounds like they're sayin he's not worth the money because he gets injured. Ask Stafford whether he wants Calvin on this team and I guarantee it will be somewhere along the lines of "I probably wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for him". I'd pay Johnson 100m a freaking year man. You don't let that kind of player go.
 

LazyWinker

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Florio is more about hits than reporting actual news. He used to beat to death Brett Favre stories by having 6 or 7 each day. He did the same thing with Michael Sam. He makes speculations, wild or not, to attract viewers. It's worked out pretty well for him, I don't think he practices law any more and is a full time blogger.
 

drasconis

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There are a lot of contracts like this out there for many teams. Some player (or more likely his agent) wants the headlines of having the large contract....so when they do it it isa contract that blows up big time at the end. Everyone knows it is silly money and that the player will never see it. The concern hear for detroit is that Calvin is likely to have huge leverage at the end of this one...he may have them overa barrel.
 

Stranger

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I agree with you on Florio, but saying Bernie tells it like it is is as questionable as Florio's muck.
How many sports journalists are their out there who are worth listening to? I bet less than you can count on one hand.
 

HometownBoy

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How many sports journalists are their out there who are worth listening to? I bet less than you can count on one hand.
My only answer is Adam Schefter, and that's only when it comes to moves, trades and signings.
 

Athos

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I can't imagine how good Calvin would be with a better QB. Stafford's decision making has always been questionable at best, and it might be a case where the receiver actually made the QB. I could see Denver or New England leveraging a draft after this season for one last shot at a Championship.

Noticed that too. Stafford just seems to force it to Megatron a lot. A helluva lot. Stafford has always played fast and loose with the football, blindly trusting Megatron to come away with it. Or heck, any of his WRs. Just look at the number of picks he throws and his career completion %. Terrible for the weapons he's had.

I wonder what Megatron could do with Rodgers, Manning, Brees, Rivers, Luck.
 

iced

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Florio isn't continually trolling the Rams. No player, no matter how great he is and who counts for $20 million or more in salary, is subject to speculation. Imagine how many draft picks they could get in a trade? Nothing is impossible in the NFL.

have you read some of his articles? I'm not saying he's trolling, but he's also a continual (and at times hilariously wrong) prick...

still laugh at him for saying last year was Bradford's last contract year :D. Not like I'm not picking either - there's been quite a few lately often followed with some unsubstantiated satire remark.

Easy to see why he's a failed lawyer - he can't even get the "little details" right for being a journalist... Laws and statutes are 10x worse
 

Stranger

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My only answer is Adam Schefter, and that's only when it comes to moves, trades and signings.
Yup. There is more sports journalism talent within ROD membership then in all of paid "professional" sports journalism :)

@Prime Time - not that there is a quote candidate for the ROD HOF