Will Derrick Johnson continue his playing career with a new team?
By Jalon Dodson
Derrick Johnson says he wants to play a few more seasons. What will he find on the open market?
To say Derrick Johnson’s career with the Kansas City Chiefs was anything less than amazing is crazy talk. He leads the team as the all-time tackling leader with 938 tackles. His production slowed during the 2017 season, as he just seemed “sluggish” at points, but he was also making his way back from another Achilles injury.
The Chiefs announced in February they were going to allow Derrick Johnson to test free agency and would not be retaining him. Head coach Andy Reid spoke on the matter at the 2018 NFL Combine, saying that he would love to bring the veteran linebacker on as a coach for the team.
As a Chiefs fan, I’m confident that I’m not alone in being hopeful for a coaching career in Derrick Johnson’s future, especially with the Chiefs. I’ve been a fan of him for a long time, and I wish him nothing but success in whatever he decides to do. Can he still keep up with the increasingly young NFL, playing for another team?
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It’s no secret that the NFL is growing younger season by season. Veterans are being replaced; out with the old, in with the new. Most of the older players are slowly being rotated out. Is there a possibility Derrick Johnson can play for another team? Of course there is. At the very least, he could be used as a rotation LB. I personally don’t feel like that’s what the 35 year old veteran wants, though.
The biggest concern I have with DJ continuing his playing career is his health. Obviously, player safety is of upmost importance. Johnson is no stranger to injury, especially with the aforementioned Achilles injury. If Johnson is able to escape further injury, I believe he could play for at least another season or two. He might not be a starter in a team’s base defense, but he can still be a positive contributor. However, as much as I hate admitting it, he just isn’t what he used to be.