Even before starting wide receiver Tim Patrick went down with a season-ending ACL injury, undrafted rookie receiver Brandon Johnson had been turning heads at Denver Broncos training camp this summer.
With Patrick now sidelined, Johnson has a real opportunity to make the 53-man roster, and he’s taking advantage of it.
Johnson caught four passes for 64 yards in Denver’s 17-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of preseason last weekend. Following that impressive performance, NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger took to Twitter to break down the receiver’s pro debut.
In the first catch, Johnson uses a double move to pick up a first down on third down. He later picks up another first on third down on an arrow route. Baldinger is impressed with Johnson’s ability to drop his hips despite his 6-2, 195-pound frame.
Later, late in the second quarter, Johnson catches a pass and quickly gets the ball to the middle of the field to help with clock management. On the next play, Johnson catches a pass near the sideline and quickly gets out of bounds to stop the clock.
Those two smart plays by Johnson helped Denver kick a field goal just before halftime against the Cowboys.
“This Brandon Johnson looks smooth, looks like a player … [he’s] a name to track, pay attention to,” Baldinger says in the video. “Broncos might have themselves a real good player right here.”
Check out Baldinger’s full breakdown in the below video:
.@Broncos Brandon Johnson; #89, from @UCF_Football is turning heads at camp and his NFL debut was a good one. Perhaps he can help fill the void if Patrick. #BroncosCountry #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/7J8UqJh4AF
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 14, 2022
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