Keyshawn Johnson has plenty of football left

Filed in archive on May 2, 2007

Courtesy Starpulse.com

Is there an NFL team in need of a 35-year-old wide receiver with 800 career receptions? If any teams feel they have room for a guy who had 70 catches, 815 yards and four touchdowns last season, and many likely do, Keyshawn Johnson is available.

Ironically, the Carolina Panthers released Johnson after the nfl draft. Johnson being cut is ironic, because he was an analyst for ESPN during the draft, and he applauded the Panthers' selection of USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett, in the first round.

What Johnson didn't consider was the youth movement his former team is making. So, Johnson, an 11-year veteran and arguably one of the greatest possession receivers of the past decade, became expendable.

The outspoken wideout claims he isn't done making acrobatic catches. He wants to play on a Super Bowl contender, and what contender wouldn't be interested in a star like Keyshawn?

Johnson looked 10 years younger than he is, making one great catch after another with the Panthers a year ago, and he has three straight 70-catch seasons. These are excellent statistics for any receiver, and they're spectacular for a senior citizen like Johnson, who will likely take a gigantic pay cut to play in 2007.

Although Keyshawn wants to play for a contender, some of the NFL's weaker teams would be wise to give Johnson a call. In fact, Keyshawn should prefer to play with a poor team with good young receivers, so Johnson can get more time on the field.

Oakland, San Francisco and Cleveland are all teams with young talent that could use a solid veteran to teach their kids the ways of the NFL.

Who knows, with Johnson and several potentially great players taken in the draft, any of these teams might make New Orleans-like turnarounds this year.

All they need to do is convince Keyshawn Johnson of that he can push them over the top.