NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Julio Jones and A.J. Brown have drawn the most attention out of the wide receivers at training camp for the Tennessee Titans. Quietly, the most consistent receiver at camp has been sixth-year wideout Marcus Johnson.

“Marcus has made some plays,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “I’m really excited about what he’s done. He’s shown some big-play ability to go get the football in tight coverage and win in one-on-one situations.”

Johnson has played well enough to make the roster and actually be a contributor. The 27-year-old’s biggest challenge throughout his career has been staying healthy, especially during camp.

“Training camp has been some of the toughest times for me. But thankfully I’m healthy right now,” Johnson said. “When I’m out there, I play well. Some of the things you just can’t control.”

Dating back to his college days at Texas, health concerns have kept Johnson from reaching his full potential.

Going into his junior year, Johnson dealt with breathing problems for months before going to the training staff about it. They directed him to a doctor, who examined his nose and discovered Johnson had a deviated septum. But there was also a growth in his nose which required a biopsy. Johnson was told it could be cancerous.

“That kind of rocked my whole little world,” Johnson said. “Being in college getting ready for the season, the last thing you would ever think is something being potential cancer.”

Johnson prayed on it and talked to his family. The biopsy came back negative, but Johnson had the nasal polyps removed in a separate procedure.

However the procedure was right before two-a-day practices, which are a critical part of getting ready for the season. Johnson fought through it and posted 27 receptions for 313 yards to set up what he hoped would be a big senior season.

Unfortunately, Johnson tore his meniscus the day before the spring game and missed most of summer training. Then he suffered a high ankle sprain against Notre Dame in the season opener.

The injury limited Johnson to just six games, and he needed a Toradol shot before each game to manage the pain. Hobbled by the injury, Johnson finished the season with just 12 catches for 130 yards.

Despite the setbacks, Johnson said he never wavered from his goal to become a professional player.

“Just believing in myself,” Johnson said. “Just God, knowing what he’s blessed me with and what I’m capable of. I don’t think I’ve been fully able to display that. I’ve had some unfortunate setbacks. Bad timing with certain things. I know what I can do. That stays in my mind regardless of the circumstance.”

Johnson had to rely on an outstanding performance at Texas’ pro day in 2016 to draw interest from NFL teams. He blazed a 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash and posted 22 reps on the bench to go along with an 11-foot-3 broad jump.

Despite his impressive workout, Johnson went undrafted and signed with the Eagles as a free agent. On the first day of full-padded practice, Johnson suffered a quad injury that kept him sidelined for most of camp. He landed on the Eagles’ practice squad.

Johnson developed a close relationship with Eagles 2016 first-round pick QB Carson Wentz during their rookie season together. They attended the team’s Thursday Bible study sessions along with other teammates such as TEs Zach Ertz and Trey Burton. They held Johnson accountable if he was absent.

“I’d never been in an environment where people would say, ‘Hey bruh, why weren’t you at church?’ And I grew up in the church.”

Year 2 was a better experience for Johnson because he was healthy and able to make a push for a roster spot. He found out he made the Eagles’ final roster via Twitter.

Johnson carved out a role as a backup receiver and special teams contributor for Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning team. He grew stronger in his faith and got baptized the night before the Eagles’ Week 6 road game against the Carolina Panthers.

“That was the year that my faith changed, that was the year that I gave my life to Christ,” Johnson said. “That was the year that I said, ‘Lord, I’m not going to try to keep doing things on my own.'”

The next three seasons tested Johnson, but he maintained belief in himself and his abilities. The Eagles traded Johnson and a fifth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for defensive lineman Michael Bennett. Then Seattle traded Johnson to the Indianapolis Colts for tight end Darrell Daniels months later.

A concussion, torn ankle ligament and hamstring strain led to Johnson shuffling on and off the Colts’ roster from 2018-20. He had two 100-yard receiving performances over his three-year span with the Colts, including a career-high 108 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals last October.

Johnson says his faith kept him level-headed through adversity. He worked closely with the Pike Young Life chapter in Indianapolis, which gave him a chance to hold Bible study, where he gave 15-minute sermons to kids.

“That was something that really kept me grounded during some of the toughest times in Indy,” Johnson said. “When I was going through it, they were the most consistent things in my life.”

The Titans signed Johnson to the practice squad last December and liked what they saw from him. Coach Mike Vrabel pointed to Johnson’s size and speed as traits he liked.

“He has been durable, out there every day being available,” Vrabel said. “Whatever mistakes he makes, he quickly corrects and usually rarely makes the second mistake twice.”

The crowded Titans receiver room has created a lot of competition for limited spots at the back end of the rotation. Johnson was in the same situation with the Eagles in 2017 when they signed free agents Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. He elevated his game then, just as he’s doing now.

“This is one of the most talented receiving groups I’ve been in. It brings the best out of me,” Johnson said. “You look at it, and you’re like, ‘The cream rises to the top.’ Just stick to your process and don’t get caught up in all of the other things.”

Offensive coordinator Todd Downing added, “Marcus has been an example of someone who has taken advantage of the opportunity to go out there and get some runs with the ones. He has really done a nice job of being consistent both at X and Z out on the perimeter.”

This camp also has special meaning to Johnson because he decided to wear a new jersey number. Johnson’s father Marlon played college basketball at Prairie View A&M. But he played football in middle school and wore No. 88.

“It came to the forefront when I got here because it was available,” Johnson said with a smile. “[Marvin] Harrison had it in Indianapolis, so there was no way you’re touching 88. All that my dad has done in my career, he’s guided me every step of the way, so this was just a small piece of appreciation to say that, ‘I’m here because of you.’ I just wanted to dedicate this portion of the season to him.”

As the Tennessee Titans aim to field an improved defense in 2021, the roster is loaded with young players that are eager to prove their worth to the coaching staff throughout the rest of this year’s training camp and preseason. On the defensive line specifically, the Titans need someone to step up. The departures of DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford means that there are some snaps up for grabs. One of the players that is looking to take advantage of the opportunity is Larrell Murchison, a sophomore defensive tackle that was selected by general manager Jon Robinson in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Murchison has looked more explosive at practice over the last few weeks than he did a year ago. He appeared in 10 games for the Titans last season.

A candidate to play a bigger role in 2021, Murchison recently spoke exclusively with Broadway Sports about his experience as a rookie, how he worked to improve his skill set during the offseason, and why being a positive influence in his hometown means so much to him.

JM: How do you reflect on your rookie season? What was the biggest lesson you learned during it?

LM: I learned how to be a professional. I studied and observed the older guys. I did everything I could to pick up and create some good habits for myself. I paid close attention to how the veterans on our team conduct themselves.

JM: You went through a virtual offseason last year. You must be excited to be in the midst of a proper training camp this time around. You’re getting on-field coaching, something that 2020 rookies didn’t get enough of last year due to the pandemic. How can those things help you take a step forward in your sophomore season?

LM: I’m very excited to be out here learning and getting that hands-on approach you’re talking about. You said it, we’re having more of a normal offseason this year. That’s exciting for us young guys. We’ve all been looking forward to getting that chance. I was ready and waiting for this.

JM: Going through that virtual offseason must have been difficult as a rookie. You really only played two seasons at NC State. It must have been tough to be a rookie in a weird year such as 2020.

LM: It was definitely different. I refuse to make excuses, though. When I reflect on it, you just have to take every day as they come. That’s how I look back on it. It was definitely different. The pandemic changed everything. The offseason was a weird one. We weren’t out there with our coaches. We just got to the league and we don’t really know anything yet. It’s the little things. We didn’t know what the day-to-day really entails. That was our first offseason, so we didn’t even know what a regular NFL offseason is supposed to look like. Things are a lot more normal this year and I’m excited for it. I’m just trying to pick up everything from the older guys and the coaching staff. We have a great group here. I’m trying to find a role and fill it to the best of my ability.

JM: You spent the last few months working with Chuck “Dr. Rush” Smith, one of the best pass rushing coaches and specialists in the business. I’ve collaborated with Dr. Rush in the past. Tell me a little about your work with him. How did working with him make you a better player this offseason?

LM: Chuck Smith is a great guy. He definitely pushed me to be a better player. We did some great work together. He’s very hands on. We had a goal from the first day I went in to the last day I left him. We never lost sight of that. I enjoyed every moment we spent together. We were working on some different moves. We worked on improving my hands. We worked on footwork a lot. He pushes you to the limit. It’s a great workout. You’ll be dead tired at the end of it (laughs). We were stringing some nice moves together. I’m excited to measure my progress throughout training camp and preseason.

JM: He’s an excellent coach. On that topic, you also get to work with Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams. What do you enjoy about working with coach Williams?

LM: I enjoy everything about coach Williams. He makes it fun to come into work. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be coached by him. There’s so many things I like about coach Williams. If I have a question, I know he’s going to answer it. He’s gonna tell you what it is and he’s gonna give it to you straight. There’s no BS when it comes to coach Williams.

JM: I love that. Earlier in July, you held a community fun day for more than 500 people in your hometown of Elizabethtown, NC. This isn’t the first event you’ve held since getting drafted. Tell me about your passion to give back to your city.

LM: I was so excited to do that for my community. I come from a small town. To be able to get the kids together, and for me to show my face in my hometown, I love spending time with all those kids and letting them know that they could do it too. I come from the same place that you do. I was born and raised here. Look how far I’ve come. You can do it too. That’s the biggest thing for me. I’m trying to help them develop the right mentality from a young age. I have to show my face. I can’t turn my back on my neighbors. I’m forever going to be a humble guy. If you have a question, approach me and ask me. You can come to me with anything. I don’t have a problem with that. I want to see the kids win, just like I had my older mentors that wanted to see me win.

JM: You’re obviously such an important member of your community. Earlier, you talked about paying close attention to the veterans and picking up good habits from your teammates. Who are some of the guys that you enjoy leaning on for knowledge and wisdom?

LM: Everybody. Anybody that has a lesson to teach me, I’m all ears. Guys like Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons come to mind. Every older guy we have, anybody that has something for me, I’m there and I’m ready to listen and learn. I love to soak up knowledge. I’m a sucker for good information. That goes for both on and off field lessons. I’m ready to do it.

JM: That’s the right attitude to have. We’ve really appreciated your time today, Larrell. In closing, what do your goals look like for these next few weeks?

LM: My biggest goal is to carve out a role for myself on this team. I’m going to prepare in the best possible way that I can prepare.

 

Few on the Tennessee Titans have impressed the way wide receiver Marcus Johnson has in training camp — and that goes for both sides of the ball.

Johnson has been about as consistent as they come, which was spelled out by ESPN’s Turron Davenport after practice on Tuesday.

“To no surprise Marcus Johnson continues to shine,” Davenport wrote. “He made a jumping catch across the middle. Then snatched a pass that was behind out of the air. Also made a contested catch with Kristian Fulton in coverage.”

Positive reviews of Johnson’s showing like that are an everyday occurrence.

As Ben Arthur of the Tennessean recently pointed out, it’s hard to imagine Johnson not making the roster out of training camp with how well he has done.

“Outside of A.J. Brown, Marcus Johnson has been the most consistent WR and it’s increasingly become hard to imagine him not on the 53,” Arthur wrote on Saturday.

But beat writers aren’t the only ones praising Johnson. After practice on Tuesday, the former Indianapolis Colt received some recognition from offensive coordinator, Todd Downing. Downing says Johnson has even seen some action with the first-team offense.

“I think Marcus has been an example of someone who has taken advantage of his opportunities to go out there and get some runs with the ones,” Downing said. “And I think he’s really done a nice job of kind of playing it out and being consistent, both at X and Z out on the perimeter.”

Johnson was included in our last 53-man roster projection, and we continue to feel confident about that prediction.

When it’s all said and done, Johnson could find himself as the No. 4 receiver behind Julio Jones, A.J. Brown and Josh Reynolds, and there is thought that he could even challenge for the No. 3 role.

Kalif Raymond has typically been one of the last players off the practice field here at training camp in Allen Park.

The veteran is also one of the busier players on the roster during practice. He’s been playing wide receiver with the first-team offense, and he also takes part in most special teams periods as a return man.

Even so, Raymond always takes the extra time after practice to run routes and spend time on the jugs machine.

Raymond, who came over to Detroit in free agency this offseason from Tennessee, was mainly used as a return man for the Titans. Now he’s getting an opportunity to play a bigger role on offense in Detroit.

“That’s what this game is about,” Raymond said after practice Tuesday. “Getting an opportunity and taking advantage of it. Honestly, every day I’m out here just grinding, whether it’s inside, outside, this or that, whatever they need me to do.”

There’s a clear top four that’s emerged at receiver for the Lions through the first two weeks of camp – Tyrell WilliamsBreshad Perriman, Raymond and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown. Raymond has played a lot in the slot, but with Perriman currently dealing with a hip injury, he’s played more and more outside, and continues to make plays there as well.

“Lif’s (Raymond) a stud,” head coach Dan Campbell said before Tuesday’s practice. “He embodies everything we’re about. Anybody that has flexibility, versatility, position flex, smart, on top of the ability that he has, it helps significantly.

“It helps (offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn) A-Lynn call the game. It helps us with matchups. He’s able to do a number of things. We put him at Z yesterday. He’s been playing the F. He could be a trinket guy for us, do some different things maybe out of the backfield. But he’s also a returner.”

Raymond said he worked his tail off this offseason to show he can be a playmaker at receiver and not just a return specialist.

“Every day he’s nonstop,” Campbell said. “You look up there and he’s blocking guys in the run game, throwing his body around. He’s competitive as hell. I’m glad we got him. Glad we got him. It was a great pickup by (general manager) Brad (Holmes).”

In 35 career games with Denver, both New York teams and Tennessee, Raymond has caught just 19 passes for 369 yards (19.4 average) with a lone touchdown. In Detroit, he’s going to get the opportunity to not only return punts and kicks, but also play a significant role in Detroit’s revamped receiver room.

Raymond has embraced the gritty mentality Campbell wants to build this roster around, and says he’s trying to stay in the present moment to show there’s much more to his game than people think.

“I love that that’s one of our focal points,” Raymond said of Campbell’s gritty mentality. “Grit is like one more rep. Everything that you do, whether you’re tired and have nothing left, give one more. You have to bench press, give one more. Conditioning, and you’re about to drop, give one more.

“Because eventually your mental fortitude is going to change. That way when you’re out there and it’s a two-minute drive and you’re tired and the guy in front of you is tired, you’ve got one more rep.”

Raymond is going to continue to grind and find the best parts of his game. It’s why he stays late after practice and puts in the work.

The offseason was not kind to the Lions receiving corps. After seeing their top three wide receivers, Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola depart, it left General Manager Brad Holmes with his work cut out for him to fill that barren cupboard at wide receiver.

The Lions only have one receiver, Quintez Cephus, who saw snaps on the active roster last year. Victor Bolden and Tom Kennedy were on the practice squad, where Geronimo Allison opted out last year. So that was it for returning wide receivers. To say this was a daunting task for the Lions is putting it lightly.

Holmes’ most notable additions to round out the receiving corps were Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman. Each has had some moderate success in the NFL, with Williams being a former 1,000-yard receiver and Perriman a viable deep-threat option. They will be looked upon more than likely as the top two receivers for the Lions.

During the draft, the major talk was not if the Lions would draft a receiver is when they would take one. The first four picks came and went, but no receiver. It wasn’t until the fourth round where the Lions tagged Amon-Ra St. Brown to be their future slot receiver and get everybody off Holmes’ back.

From the outside looking in, you could probably see who the Lions will be leaning on when it comes to wide receivers. But there is one under-the-radar signing Holmes made that could not only provide a viable answer to the Lions receiver depth but be a versatile chess piece across the field.

Kalif Raymond came to the Lions this offseason after spending a year with the Tennessee Titans has one of their main return specialists with 483 combined return yards and 187 receiving yards. He has never been a staple point within the receiver corps with only 369 yards over four seasons, but with his legit 4.3 speed, he becomes a dangerous weapon in the return game with 1,549 return yards.

Raymond has been making noise so far in training camp with not just showing off his top-end speed but his crisp route running and versatility to line up all along the offensive front. Even though St. Brown is entrenched as the Lions starting slot receiver, Raymond shows that he is not just a one-trick pony in the slot but also line up outside and take the top cover. Of note, when Tyrell Williams left practice yesterday, it was Raymond who was brought in to fill that outside role.

Raymond has already shown to be an effective special teamer as a return man, and so far, he has been the first man up and looks to be taking advantage of it the opportunity. Special teams coach Dave Fipp is excited to have Raymond part of his unit.

“Really excited about Kalif. Obviously, brought him in here from Tennessee. We liked his film,” Fipp said. “Brad (Holmes) and those guys did a great job acquiring him. He’s been great since he’s got here. He’s obviously back there handling punts. I think him and Bolden and Kennedy and St. Brown and Amos a little bit — all those guys have been back there, all five of them. We really like them. I think Bolden and Raymond (are) really explosive players.”

Even during his time at Tennessee, he made strong appearances during camp, where he made coaches notice the potential as a viable option for the offense. He noticed that he will not always win deep considering his small stature and worked on his short and intermediate routes during last year’s offseason. He stayed in Adam Humphries’ hip pocket and learned anything he could from Humphries, who has made a career with those types of routes. So far from the camp reports, he has made major strides in his route-running ability giving him another strong attribute to work with.

The Lions had plenty of work to do to fill the receiving room, and even though it doesn’t strike others with excitement, it does have the potential of being a complementary part of the offense. Raymond will look to establish himself as a strong WR4 competing against Cephus and take over the main return spot for the special teams. Keep your eye on Raymond as training camp progresses because if he keeps this trend up, there should be no reason not to see him on the active roster and watch that speed in action.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Falcons traded for former first-round tight end Hayden Hurst before the 2020 season. Then a new regime drafted another one the following year, at No. 4 overall of all places.

They didn’t do so to create direct competition between Hurst and Kyle Pitts. They aren’t fighting for one spot, not in this offense anyway. There will be plenty of opportunities to go around for versatile pieces who can line up at most any skill spot.

“Everyone likes to make the comparison of me versus Kyle, but it’s going to be me and Kyle,” Hurst said after Friday’s AT&T Training Camp practice. “Our tight end room is really special with me and Kyle and Lee Smith and the other guys. It has been really fun so far. It’s a very tight-end friendly offense.”

That’s all so true, including the last part. Head coach Arthur Smith often employs multiple tight-end sets, and we’ll see Pitts and Hurst on the field quite a bit. Both guys can line up anywhere, from standard in-line tight end to wide receiver or in the slot. They could even play H-back if needed.

That will allow Smith to be creative with a solid, deep offensive position group led by Hurst and Pitts.

“…I think we’re going to be on the field a lot together and we’re going to do some pretty special things. He brings a lot to the table. I think I bring a lot to the table, too. I proved it last year, and I’m looking to build on that. It’s a big year for me, a free-agent year. I’m definitely focused.”

Hurst will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2021 because the Falcons didn’t pick up his fifth-year option. Building on a solid first season in red and black, with 56 catches for 571 yards and six touchdowns, could set him up for a solid payday next spring.

That’s a strong possibility considering he performed last year at 268 pounds, a hefty weight for someone with solid speed.

Now he’s down 18 pounds and feeling way faster.

“Last year, I wasn’t sure exactly what my role was going to be getting traded here, so I put on a lot of weight,” Hurst said. “I was 268 then. Now I’m 250 and eight percent body fat. My biggest thing is my speed. I use that to put pressure on defense. Cutting the extra weight was huge for my body, especially heading into a longer 17-game season.”

Hurst expects big things this season, but he’s not trying to compete with a teammate he has gotten to know and like a great deal. They were often side by side during the June 23-25 Tight-End University summit, a position-specific camp created by George Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen.

That relationship has grown this summer, as the Falcons start this camp.

“Kyle and I have a pretty good bond so far,” Hurst said. “I’m getting to learn a lot about him. In camp, we’re around each other 13 hours a day, so I’m getting to know him. Lee’s back in the room, too, so it’s great. It’s been really fun and it’s only Day 2.”

We’re still learning exactly how the tight ends will be used, though the picture will remain cloudy until the regular season starts. Hurst has looked back at when Smith was Titans offensive coordinator, and he saw opportunities aplenty for Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser.

“He did a ton for them in Tennessee,” Hurst said. “You go back and watch the tape and see how he moved them around all the time. He had them out there together a lot, which put my mind at ease with everything going on. I know what I bring to the table. I know my value. I don’t necessarily need all the hype. That doesn’t do a lot for me. I’m focused on my goals and what I need to do.”

INDIANAPOLIS — There was a palpable lack of energy on the Texas practice field that morning.

Every NFL team had sent at least one representative to Austin, but the assembled crowd felt like it was checking a box at the Texas Pro Day, sleepily rolling in to evaluate a Longhorn class that would produce just one draft pick in 2016.

Marcus Johnson knew he had to wake up those scouts.

“So much anxiety and pressure being put into that moment,” Johnson said. “If I go out there and lay an egg, I may, at the most, get a workout, maybe bring me in for a rookie minicamp.”

He had no more eggs left to lie.

All of the ones he’d ever had were in that basket. A star-crossed college career had come to an end that December, and Johnson decided to throw everything he had into the NFL, giving up his final semester to train full-time for his pro day.

Everybody around him — parents, coaches, advisors — told him to stay in school and get his degree.

“I felt like a lot of people were saying that, and I felt like it was too passive,” Johnson said. “Obviously, that’s important, but in my mind, this is what I’ve always dreamed of, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

By the time he was finished, the scouts were lining up to talk to him.

‘Longest week of your life’

Nearly every NFL player can tell a story about the day their career could have ended. An injury. A missed opportunity. A lack of eyes at a critical moment.

Johnson has been through so many of those days. Almost always in the month of August, sometimes in the first few days of September.

The first time might have been the toughest.

Johnson was a junior at Texas. Two-a-days had just started; a doctor found a polyp in Johnson’s nasal passage. The doctor seemed confident the polyp wasn’t anything to worry about.

The next word he used hit Johnson hard.

“My heart dropped. When the doctor tells you there’s potential for a rare form of cancer, you just sit there. It’s indescribable. In that moment, nothing else seemingly matters,” Johnson said. “There were so many different thoughts.”

He’d always had trouble breathing. Chalked it up to allergies. Johnson underwent surgery to repair a deviated septum and remove the polyp, only a month before the Longhorns were supposed to open the season.

Five days, maybe a week, went by before Johnson got the biopsy results.

“Longest week of your life,” Johnson said.

No cancer. The young receiver returned to the Longhorns and made 27 catches for 313 yards, setting the stage for a breakout senior year, even after a torn meniscus cost him most of spring practice and the summer.

“That was my mindset,” Johnson said. “It was all or nothing that season.”

A high ankle sprain in the first quarter of the season opener threw a wrench into those plans.

“Missed that game, missed two games after that,” Johnson said. “It was tough, man, trying to practice, barely being able to practice. … Then come game day, you take your Toradol, whatever you can to fight that pain, but then after every game, it felt like a setback that next day.”

Almost as soon as he felt his ankle go, Johnson set his mind on two goals.

Play against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, when he knew the world would be watching; Johnson caught four passes for 35 yards and a touchdown that day.

The other goal was the Texas Pro Day.

“There was a lot of doubt,” Johnson said. “Your family, friends, a lot of people just say ‘It’s a tough break,’ ‘You gave it all you had.’ It makes you feel like there’s no shot.”

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marcus Johnson (16) shows dejection after the Colts lost to the New England Patriots, 24-28, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA., on Thursday, Oct 4, 2018.

Pro day

Johnson looked like an NFL receiver that day in Austin.

At 6-1, 204 pounds, he ripped off 22 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press, more than any receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine that year. Johnson posted a vertical leap of 37 inches, covered 11 feet, 3 inches on the broad jump.

Most importantly, Johnson tore through the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.

“That turned me into a priority free agent,” Johnson said. “I went from no calls, no interest, no all-star games, no combines to having 8 to 10 teams offer me a free agent contract.”

The decision came down to the Eagles or the Colts.

Johnson picked Philadelphia. Their wide receivers coach, Greg Lewis, put more effort into recruiting the undrafted rookie than anybody else; the depth chart looked like it might be ready for a climb.

“I had worked my way up to the 1’s and 2’s; I was rolling,” Johnson said. “That was my first introduction of, ‘I can do this.’ It didn’t quite show at Texas, but I’m here at the highest level, and I’m moving up the depth chart.”

A Grade 2 quadriceps strain early in training camp halted his momentum. The Eagles cut him then released him from the practice squad early in the year.

Three months passed. From the outside, it looked like Johnson’s NFL dreams had come to an end.

“I was doing workouts for teams, but nobody was bringing me in,” Johnson said. “Then Philly called.”

Johnson finished the season on the practice squad, then established himself as a backup receiver and a special teamer on the Eagles team that caught fire and rode its momentum all the way to a Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.

Personally, though, Johnson remembers that season for a decision he made off the field, one that he says has sustained him through setback after setback.

“That was the year that my faith changed, that was the year that I gave my life to Christ,” Johnson said. “That was the year that I said, ‘Lord, I’m not going to try to keep doing things on my own.’”

He’d grown up in the church, but he’d fallen away in college.

Turning back to his faith gave Johnson a new source of strength.

“Everything that happened at Texas, in my rookie year in Philly, it was a like a three- or four-year span, I couldn’t catch a break,” Johnson said. “The one thing I’m proudest of is that during those times, I didn’t give up on myself. I always knew what I was capable of, it was just a lot of unfortunate circumstances and bad timing on things, and it all started to make sense once I gave my life to Christ and got traded.”

A chance in Indianapolis

Twice.

Johnson was traded twice in a span of six months. First from Philadelphia to Seattle in March, then from Seattle to Indianapolis at the end of training camp. Frank Reich had been Johnson’s offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, and he hadn’t forgotten about him.

“In a lot of ways, Marcus is a prototypical receiver in the NFL,” Reich said at the time. “I don’t think he’s had the right opportunity, but I think he’s got a chance at getting that here.

An Indianapolis roster short on players at the position gave Johnson the chance he needed.

Six games into the season, he hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Luck in New York, the first of his career and the sort of big play he’d always been known for making during his days as a Longhorn.

He felt like he’d arrived.

Then Jets defender Trenton Cannon hit him two steps out of bounds on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter of the same game, tearing Johnson’s ankle ligament and ending his season right before he could build on the touchdown he’d scored earlier in the day.

“It was like God was showing me, despite the setbacks, that I was capable of doing it,” Johnson said. “You can do this. Keep fighting, like you’ve always done. This isn’t anything new for you.”

What was new was the severity of the injury.

Up until that point in his career, Johnson’s injuries had mostly been bad timing, rather than the kind of surgical repairs that take the better part of a year to rehabilitate. When Johnson tried to recapture his momentum in training camp with the Colts in 2019, he could tell he wasn’t the same player.

“That’s the thing about this league,” Johnson said. “When you see guys get hurt, and it’s like, ‘Oh, he’s healthy, he’s back,’ that doesn’t mean he’s back. It just means he’s been cleared. There’s a whole other component of the game where you have to get back in the rhythm of everything. … That training camp, I just felt sloppy.”

By the end of training camp, he’d started to make a push, but former Colt Deon Cain had established himself as the front-runner for the No. 4 spot on the roster, and Johnson suffered a concussion in the preseason finale that proved to be a headache for both him and the Colts.

Because of the concussion’s timing, two days before the NFL’s annual roster reductions, Johnson had to be waived/injured, which pushed him onto injured reserve the next day, even though his injury wouldn’t keep him out the entire season. Indianapolis released him with an injury settlement, but as part of that settlement, the Colts couldn’t bring him back for at least three weeks after he got healthy, even though injuries were ravaging the wide receiver position and Cain failed to pan out.

Johnson stayed positive. He’d built a life in Indy, getting heavily involved with Young Life, a Christian organization aimed at helping teenagers grow in their faith, focused on the Pike area of Indianapolis.

“I just had the confidence I’d be back,” Johnson said.

The Colts signed him to the practice squad as soon as the injury settlement restrictions were lifted, then promoted the wide receiver to the active roster in early November, and Johnson finally had his chance to shine.

Despite playing in an anemic Indianapolis offense, Johnson made 17 catches for 277 yards and two touchdowns down the stretch, establishing himself as a bona fide NFL deep threat in a three-catch, 105-yard performance in a loss to Tampa Bay.

“It was a breath of fresh air,” Johnson said. “It was that moment where I was like ‘This is what it was all for.”

‘Keep that chip on your shoulder’

Johnson felt like he’d established himself in Indianapolis.

Then reality hit. The Colts decided not to tender Johnson as a restricted free agent this offseason, even though it would have cost the team just a shade over $2 million. After a month of testing the waters elsewhere, the veteran receiver ended up signing back in Indianapolis for $825,000.

“Part of it I understood, but part of it, you keep that chip on your shoulder. They didn’t believe in me quite enough to sign me to a tender, so that alone was enough motivation,” Johnson said. “In my mind, it’s not about the contract or the money, it’s about me establishing myself in this league.”

Once he re-signed, Johnson threw himself into preparation for this season, trying to stay in peak condition since the uncertainty of the COVID-19 lockdown meant he felt like he could be called back to action at any time.

Then the month of August hit him hard again.

The Colts hadn’t even started training camp yet. Johnson ran an out, might have planted his foot awkwardly, might have overextended a little bit, but whatever the reason, he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain, an injury serious enough to cost him all two weeks of the NFL’s abbreviated training camp.

The Colts released him at the end of training camp again.

“That was the first time I said, ‘That might have been the last time I play as a Colt,’” Johnson said. “I felt like I’d done enough that another team would pick me up fairly quickly.”

Two games later, Johnson was back in Indianapolis, signed to the practice squad after Parris Campbell went down with an injury to his PCL and MCL. A week and an injury to Michael Pittman later, Johnson was back in the lineup against the Chicago Bears, and he hauled in a 36-yard pass from Philip Rivers, who’d already taken notice of Johnson in August, before the hamstring injury.

“The chemistry is there,” Johnson said. “For him to have the confidence to throw that up to me in tight coverage and let me go up and make a play, I felt like that was the icebreaker.”

Another 36-yard grab led to three catches and 53 yards against Cleveland, then Johnson exploded with a five-catch, 108-yard performance against Cincinnati, sparking the Colts’ comeback with a 55-yard bomb that got Rivers into a zone in the second quarter.

Back before this season started, before the draft, the Colts said they wanted to add explosive playmakers on offense.

Five of Johnson’s nine catches so far have gone for 20 yards or more, the traits he’s had since his Texas days on display with Rivers.

“First. … the speed. Marcus is explosive,” Reich said. “The second thing is just the ability to make a 50-50 catch.”

It’s another well-worn NFL story, part of the NFL lore.

A discarded player keeps fighting, battling for his spot in the NFL, then gets the right opportunity and makes the most of it.

“Guys are injured, and they’re gone, and the next thing you know, they are having 100-yard games,” Rivers said. “You just really never know how it can play out.”

Especially if they refuse to give up.

Not much has gone well for the Houston Texans, but there are some bright spots.

Along the defensive line, P.J. Hall, who the Texans claimed off waivers after a failed trade between the Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, has been one of those optimistic points of light.

In the 33-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Hall saw 43 defensive snaps and was even credited with a start, an uptick from 17 snaps in Week 1 at the Kansas City Chiefs. The defensive tackle from Sam Houston State collected three total tackles.

“He plays with really good leverage that’s built-in leverage,’ coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s a powerful, explosive guy relative to the position that he plays. He’s been playing hard. He’s getting in better shape. He did disrupt last week and had a good game.”

Though the Texans like what they have seen from the former Raiders 2018 second-rounder, they need to see more.

“Just consistency is the key just like with anybody else,” said O’Brien. “Hopefully he can keep getting better and getting more comfortable in our system.”

Hall will have another chance as the Texans take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central at Heinz Field.

Atlanta Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst said he approached Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott after Sunday’s game to express his support in the wake of what Hurst called “disgusting” comments made by Fox Sports 1’s Skip Bayless about Prescott’s opening up about his mental health.

Prescott recently shared in an episode of “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” that he sought help in the offseason for anxiety and depression brought on by the death of his older brother, Jace, and the coronavirus pandemic. Jace Prescott died by suicide in April. The quarterback’s mother died of colon cancer in 2013.

In response to Prescott’s comments, Bayless said on his “Undisputed” show, “I don’t have sympathy for [Prescott] going public with, ‘I got depressed’ and ‘I suffered depression early in COVID to the point that I couldn’t even go work out.’ Look, he’s the quarterback of America’s team.” Fox later issued a statement condemning Bayless’ remarks.

Hurst, who has been open about attempting suicide and dealing with anxiety and depression, said he was appalled by Bayless’ words.

“To be totally honest with you, when I saw what Skip Bayless said, it just really upset me — that Dak had the courage to come out and talk about that and how it affected his family, how it affected him — and those [Bayless] comments, I thought, were just disgusting,” Hurst told ESPN on Tuesday night. “For a guy to come out and talk about that topic and use his platform to try and help and save lives, I’ve got nothing but respect for him because I know how hard it is going through stuff like that.

“It hit my family hard. My uncle killed himself. My cousin killed himself. And I had my own stuff with addiction and my attempted suicide. I know how much courage it takes to come out and talk about that. And for a guy like [Bayless] to blast Dak on his show, on national television, I think that’s just wrong. So I wanted to go up to Dak and talk to him and tell him how much I appreciated it.”

Following the Cowboys’ 40-39 win over the Falcons on Sunday, video captured Hurst stopping Prescott to say, “Hey, I’ve got a lot of respect for what you did, came out and talked about. Me and my mom have a foundation about suicide prevention. Respect the hell out of you for talking about it, man.”

Prescott responded with a suggestion that they collaborate one day, to which Hurst replied, “Absolutely.”

“I thought it was awesome,” Hurst told ESPN. “I’m sure Dak Prescott doesn’t really know who I am. But I know the courage that takes, because a lot of people don’t like talking about mental health. They’re afraid to talk about it. They’re embarrassed. If guys like Dak Prescott can come out and talk about it, I think he’s going to save a lot of lives. I think that’s cool. I admire him. And I’ll be a Dak Prescott fan forever. I think he’s an awesome guy.”

Hurst previously shared his story about attempting suicide in January 2016 when he was in college at South Carolina. He had an unsuccessful stint in minor league baseball as a pitcher due to a throwing condition known as “the yips” and started using drugs and drinking heavily, then tried to slit his wrist. He survived what he called his “come to Jesus moment,” and now he tries to educate others about dealing with depression.

Hurst established the Hayden Hurst Foundation with his mother, Cathy, to raise awareness of mental health issues in children and adolescents by funding mental health services and programs through donations and fundraising events. The foundation will host a charity golf event Oct. 19 in Atlanta.

Dec 22, 2019; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans linebacker Derick Roberson (50) reacts after sacking New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE – Derick Roberson got a taste of the NFL during his rookie season in 2019, and the Titans got a further peek into his potential.

Despite playing in just three regular season games – and 29 defensive snaps – the undrafted rookie edge rusher got himself noticed.

In the team’s Week 16 contest against the Saints, Roberson twice sacked quarterback Drew Brees. In doing so, he became the first Titans rookie with two or more sacks in a game since linebacker Avery Williamson accomplished the feat as a rookie against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014.

Roberson, who spent 10 weeks on the practice squad earlier in the year and three more weeks as an inactive on Sundays, followed that up with a sack the following week at Houston.

His final stat line: three sacks in three regular season games. Not bad, huh?

Now the Titans hope they can get even more out of Sam Houston State product moving forward.

“Roby from the gate flashed some ability to rush the passer,” Titans outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen said. “I think the main thing with him right now … (is) consistency, and ultimately just development. Being a first-, second-down player, the run game, some of that type of stuff, taking the next step there has been what’s held him back a little bit in terms of that playtime, but he definitely has value on third down in passing situations.”

The Titans added veteran Vic Beasley at the position this offseason, while re-signing Kamalei Correa. The team returns its top pass rusher from a year ago in Harold Landry, who led the team with nine sacks. Outside backers D’Andre Walker, Reggie Gilbert will be joined in the competition by Josh Smith and Jordan Williams in training camp.

Roberson, who played in all three of the team’s postseason contests, hopes to earn more playing time and opportunities in 2020.

Plenty hinges on his development this offseason, but so far, Bowen has liked what he’s seen from afar. Bowen regrets not having the opportunity to work with Roberson more. The Titans continue to work in Zoom meetings instead of on the field in OTAs and minicamps.

Roberson appeared in 32 games with 20 starts over three seasons at Sam Houston State, where he totaled 123 tackles, 23 sacks, eight passes defensed, one interception and seven forced fumbles.

“I think the first, second down stuff in terms of scheme, understanding, and the technique – which he’s come a long way,” Bowen said. “He really has, and he’s bought in, and he’s dialed in this offseason.

“That’s kind of one of the more disappointing things about not having this offseason, like Year 1 to Year 2, like you saw with Harold and some of these guys, that offseason is huge for development,” Bowen said. “That’s where we’re going to have to strive to hopefully get caught back up. Hopefully these guys are doing what they say they’re doing in terms of working out and all the drills, and all that type of stuff. That’s going to be a challenge for us and that’s something that we’re going to have to continue to stress, probably more so even going into the season than what we normally do in terms of time allotment just because of this, not being able to do it this offseason.”