Audibles

Give Johnson credit

On March 16, 2018, former Jets GM Mike Maccagnan made a dubious decision to sign former Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson to a five-year, $72.5 million contract with $45 million guaranteed.

This decision has not turned out particularly well for Gang Green.

Johnson was very inconsistent last season, before hurting his quad and missing five games. He did return to the lineup eventually, but was benched for the season finale in Buffalo for missing a practice and being late to meetings.

This season, after starting the first game, he was benched, and replaced by Nate Hairston. The decision seemed to be performance-related. He returned to the starting lineup in Week Five at Philadelphia.

And when he played briefly in Week Three at New England, we saw perhaps why he was benched. With 5:09 left in the first quarter, the Patriots had the ball on a 2nd-and-7 play. Wide receiver Josh Gordon lined up wide right. Johnson was covering him — sort of.

Usually cornerbacks are expected to at least “play the sticks” to prevent first downs. Johnson was so far off Gordon that the receiver easily hauled in a 17-yard pass in front of him. The way Gordon was covered on this play seemed like a dereliction of duty, especially because Gordon’s not a burner. It’s not like Johnson was covering Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill. In 2012, Gordon ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. That is a pedestrian time for a wide receiver prospect. It stands to reason seven years later, he’s not faster than that. He’s also 6-3, 225 pounds, and not exactly built for speed.

If Johnson’s going to play like this, why play him?