The Minnesota Vikings signed a Minnesota Gophers football legend for their last preseason game. Mo Ibrahim had a few carries against the Philadelphia Eagles but didn’t make the 53-man roster . About 1,500 miles (by plane) to the West, another Dinkytown legend had a different experience.
The Minnesota Gophers haven’t been known for their passing offense since the days of Adam Weber and Eric Decker. Except for 2018 and 2019, when they caught lightning in a bottle with Minneapolis North’s own Tyler Johnson and Georgia superstar Rashod Bateman.
Those two, in addition to a great running game and a confident Tanner Morgan set many of the University’s passing and receiving records in 2019. By the time Tyler Johnson graduated, he had racked up 199 receptions, for more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns playing wide receiver for the Minnesota Gophers.
Minnesota Gophers Tyler Johnson sticks with pass-heavy Rams
Johnson is no longer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who took him in the fifth round of the 2020 draft . And there was absolutely no guarantee he was going to make a roster at all. But when the Rams final roster was released on Tuesday, there was the former Gopher, earning another year (hopefully) of NFL paydays.
After two years in Tampa, the second of which he played all seventeen games, Johnson landed with the Houston Texans in 2022, where he was buried on the depth chart. Life wasn’t any better in his first season with the Rams.
TJ played in only one game last year in LA, catching two passes for a total of eight yards. That’s why it was good to see Sean McVay & Co still believe in the homegrown former Gophers superstar.
The Gophers have seen Tyler Johnson contribute in some truly significant moments in their program’s history. Unfortunately, he has yet to break through in a substantial way at the next level. TJ is still young, though. At 26-years-old , the Rams seem to believe he still has some NFL tricks up his sleeve, too.
How high can the Gophers great elevate for Rams?
Both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp will forever reside atop the depth chart for the Los Angeles Rams. The group behind them gets soft quickly, and Johnson should find himself salivating at the opportunity . He could certainly overtake Demarcus Robinson as the third wideout, and his skillset may make the offense even more dynamic.
We all know how much Sean McVay loves to throw the ball. If Johnson can find the field, there should be ample opportunity to catch footballs. If Johnson can find the field, then get to open space when Matthew Stafford drops back, the rest will take care of itself.
As Matthew Stafford continues to age, there’s no reason why his arm talent won’t continue to be shown off for the Rams. Defenses will be keying on Nacua and Kupp. Can Johnson climb to No. 3 or 4 on the depth chart? If so, he’d get a lot of single coverage opportunities.
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