While Zimmer says nothing, Signs point to Diggs replacing Johnson as our WR2
Joe Johnson
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Like I’ve said all off-season, during the OTA’s, Mini-camp and Training Camp. Shit, basically since the Draft. Stefon Diggs is a star. Despite injuries in college, he was the leading yardage receiver in the Big 10 while missing the final 3 games of the season.
He knows how to play the game. He runs perfect routes, according to Zimmer he maintains his speed during his cuts, has great hands and is slippery as hell. That first half catch against The Chiefs where he shook 2 guys for no reason on the sideline? A sign of things to come.
Point being, when given an opportunity the last 2 games, he has performed. Which is a good sign that he’ll be our WR2 on the depth chart, but basically our WR1 for the foreseeable future. Thems’ Zimmers words.
When asked about Diggs’ role with Johnson coming back from his nose ring injury, Zimmer said that it will come down to “performance”.
So, juxtapose the above with Johnson’s performance this season.
In 3 games he’s caught just six passes for 46 yards, compared to Stefon Diggs’ 13 passes for 216 yards in 2 games. Now, a lot of that has to do with how terribly Teddy played against San Francisco and that we didn’t pass a lot against the Lions or Chargers.
After Sunday’s game confirmed the breakout performance Diggs had against Denver, people are obviously pining for more Diggs. Zimmer won’t commit, in the media at least, unsurprisingly.
“You don’t lose your starting job because of injury but you lose your starting job because of performance,’’ Zimmer said. “But, no, I have not decided that yet.’’
Johnson says he plans to play against Detroit this weekend. He also talked about the current WR controversy.
“We’ll see what happens,’’ Johnson said. “I mean, Diggs is a hell of a player. I teach him everything I’ve learned, I help him as much as I can, and he knows how to make the plays. And we’re going to go out and make the plays together.’’
Diggs also contributed:
“I don’t have any feel for it,’’ Diggs said. “That’s not up to me. I don’t worry about those kind of things. It was (Johnson’s) job prior to this situation, so I don’t really have any expectations. I just know I’m going to work hard and the chips are going to fall where they lay.’’
mmm… Chips.
But, it is my opinion that Diggs is an extremely rare talent. For Zimmer to say that he’s probably the only receiver he’s seen that can maintain his momentum in and out of routes, to see his highlights in college, what he did in Maryland with one of those inflatable tube men as a QB? He will be our WR1.
Like I bragged above, I was always on his bandwagon. I didn’t expect this to happen, however. I thought by mid-season he’d have taken Wrights job in the slot. But, being at the game on Sunday I realized that we don’t throw any slot passes. Every pass is a 15 yard sideline out. So, having a player like Diggs who can make those catches easier as when he turns around for the ball he maintains his speed, allowing for potential YAC in a situation where there is very limited YAC. You see how he is special.
Not to mention that he clearly has the rapport with Teddy that basically NO ONE else has, TE’s included (Bring back Chase Ford! Hashtag?), and you’ll see why there is no chance in hell that Diggs doesn’t start on Sunday.
Skol