Chuck Pagano Believes in Andre Johnson

The Indianapolis Colts made a big move a few weeks ago when they signed longtime rival Andre Johnson to the roster. While it has the potential to pay off for the Colts, it was met with some criticism.

For one, the Colts are basically replacing fan favorite Reggie Wayne with the slightly younger Johnson. Johnson’s age has also been a point of debate, he’ll be 34 by the start of the season, and his best days are likely behind him.

Coach Chuck Pagano doesn’t seem to agree. In an interview with Mike Wells at ESPN, Pagano talked about everything Johnson can give the team.

"“You don’t see a huge dropoff numbers-wise,” Pagano said. “Maybe in touchdowns. But you still see a guy who is more than capable of stretching the defense. Certainly somebody who an opponent can’t just line up and say, ‘Don’t worry about Andre Johnson.’ They’re still going to have to tend to him if you will. If they choose to double (Hilton) and take him out of the game, you have another guy on the other side, along with the rest of the guys on the roster who can still stretch the defense. He’s a big, possession type guy. He makes contested catches in traffic. He’s got a big catch radius. A big body. Those guys are hard to defend.”"

Adding Johnson to the roster allows offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton to get a little more creative, especially in the red zone. Andrew Luck hasn’t had a receiver with this build and skill set (neither did Peyton Manning while he was Indianapolis, either). While Wayne and T.Y. Hilton are very talented receivers, they aren’t touchdown machines and have diminished value in the red zone due to their respective sizes.

The Colts now have two receivers who present drastically different matchup problems. Even if Johnson has lost a step, he still has the size to box out a defender

"“He’s a big body guy that can still separate, create separation,” Pagano said. “He’s got a big catch radius. But again, the contested catches that you see on tape. It’s very difficult to match up. There are few corners in the league that have length and size to match up but most are aren’t on that size and they get pushed around a little bit. He’s going to be able to bring that big, physical presence to us.”"

Johnson has already had an outstanding career. He’s hauled in 1,012 receptions, 13,597 yards, and 64 touchdowns in 12 seasons. The most impressive thing about those numbers? Johnson has produced without a quality quarterback.

With Luck throwing him the ball, expect Johnson to find a new reserve of energy as he plays with a QB who is capable of consistently getting him the ball.