Veteran LB Brandon Johnson Provides Depth Outside

[stillers4me]

Without the benefit of abundant salary cap space, the Steelers (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/pittsburgh-steelers) had to take an aim-small-miss-small mentality in free agency this off-season.
After initially kicking the tires of seven-year (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/5/10/3011343/steelers-free-agent-signings-brandon-johnson-matt-roth-dave-rayner-shaun-suisham) pro Brandon Johnson (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1751/brandon-johnson), he left Pittsburgh without a contract signed, but that changed Wednesday. Johnson joins a Steelers linebacking corps looking to add depth through experience, and that's what they got in Johnson.
Interestingly, though, he's slated to play on the outside.
http://cdn1.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v5e9d7f1.jpg
Veteran OLB James Harrison is said to have suffered a knee injury, and Jason Worilds has been hampered this off-season with a wrist injury. Johnson, who hasn't played in a pass-rushing role in his previous six NFL seasons, has the body of a 3-4 OLB (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), even without the experience............

read more @ http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/6/14/3084639/pittsburgh-steelers-signing-brandon-johnson-larry-foote-james-farrior

[GBMelBlount]

Without the benefit of abundant salary cap space, the Steelers (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/pittsburgh-steelers) had to take an aim-small-miss-small mentality in free agency this off-season.
After initially kicking the tires of seven-year (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/5/10/3011343/steelers-free-agent-signings-brandon-johnson-matt-roth-dave-rayner-shaun-suisham) pro Brandon Johnson (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1751/brandon-johnson), he left Pittsburgh without a contract signed, but that changed Wednesday. Johnson joins a Steelers linebacking corps looking to add depth through experience, and that's what they got in Johnson.
Interestingly, though, he's slated to play on the outside.
http://cdn1.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v5e9d7f1.jpg

Veteran OLB James Harrison is said to have suffered a knee injury, and Jason Worilds has been hampered this off-season with a wrist injury. Johnson, who hasn't played in a pass-rushing role in his previous six NFL seasons, has the body of a 3-4 OLB (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), even without the experience............

read more @ http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/6/14/3084639/pittsburgh-steelers-signing-brandon-johnson-larry-foote-james-farrior

I hope this is not another injury plagued season...

[LLT]

I think Johnson played Will Linbacker in the 4-3.

There are certain players that I think never fully reach their potential bacause they are placed into the wrong system or simply play for a bad team. DT Jarron Gilbert comes to mind. Incredible atheticism and the prototypical body of a 3-4 defensive end....he has bounced from team to team, mainly as a DT, without the benefit of learning a system under the tutelage of a good defensive coordinator. I'll always wonder what Lebeau and Mitchell could have done with him.

I think Johnson is one of those players. It would have been interesting to have picked him up earlier in his career....but even now I think he may end up being a very good ST player (He was captain of special teams with the Bengals) and may end up being a serviceable wave player.