Derrick Johnson
 

I've been rewatching some of the Eagles and Pats games the past week, and DJ is just insanely good.

Seriously, I don't even think I want to lose him this offseason, much as that financially makes sense.

Here's the deal: you can totally replace his speed and his athleticism. Especially these days.

But he's SO SMART. Easily the smartest player on our defense -- he never falls for a single fake, he can always anticipate where the play is going, and is so mentally tough.

Terez did a story on Ragland earlier this season where Ragland was talking about "hey all I'm here to do is exactly what DJ tells me -- it's his team." That kind of deference is invaluable and it's part of what makes our defense so incredibly difficult to score on.

I know nobody disagrees with me that DJ is an All Time Chief, but I'll tell you this right now: barring another injury or him falling off a cliff, we gotta keep this guy. He's nigh irreplaceable.

I'd love for him to stick around a few more years, but only on a very modest contract. We have had way too much money going to aging vets lately.

If his body holds up for an entire year, sure.

DJ's ability to counter audible the good QBs in the NFL is what sets him apart. They don't have another ILBer with the IQ or ability to make sure everyone is in the right place like DJ does.

DJ knows the chess match against good QBs and that's a priceless attribute.

I generally feel the same way. DJ is one of my all time favorite Chiefs, and his brain is what makes him so special.

Fun Fact: He's my age, and went to high school in Waco, Texas, just about 30 miles from my hometown. We played Waco every year in football, which means I played high school football against Derrick Johnson. I like to assume I laid him out a time or two.

He was a linebacker. Did you ever smash any Waco linebackers?

He's definitely one of the smartest football players I've ever seen. His anticipation and ability to tackle without wrecking his body is incredible.

Kinda gotta go year to year at maybe $4 million/yr for him. Anything more than that and you're actually paying a hometown premium for him, IMO.

His value to this team and this system is far greater than it would be elsewhere. He can't play in a 4-3 and if you put him in a 3-4 with different calls/adjustments that intelligence and intuitiveness is gone.

So if you put him out in the market generally, I don't think a 35 yr old linebacker is going to get a hell of a lot of attention apart from some teams like the Jets that are looking to bring someone in as a mentor to get them to the cap floor and teach the young kids.

That's not how he wants to go out so unless he wants to play out the string, he's looking at a relatively modest free market value. I don't think he'll come back at $2 million or anything but if you gave him a 2 year deal for $8 million w/ a $1 million signing bonus and a 3 million salary in year 1, you essentially have a 'team option' for year 2. If he's still playing at a high level in '18 you consider it. If not, you walk.

In either event, nothing like that insane bit of idiot contract that Dorsey gave him and Hali with large guaranteed bases in year 2.

You are so freaking clueless it is unbelievable.

I love DJ but there have been a couple of times in these last two games where he looks a little gimpy. I am not sure if he still has some soreness or if he doesn't fully trust his ACL but there have been a few times where I have seen him just give up on an angle because he wasn't able to move fast enough. Unfortunately for this reason I think this is his last year. Maybe he can come back to coach the LBers!

Why?

If an old player can't stay healthy, bye.

DJ's injury history is a concern.

Thanks for the quote so I could see this tripe.

You're probably still picking grass out of your ass from when he mowed you :)

Hydrae, do you mean last year?

Two real injuries, both of which once repaired are highly unlikely to happen again because the repair actually makes it stronger.

Yes, thank you. I will edit that right now. No jinxing allowed due to my typing!!!

No. 😑

I was extremely average to below average in the world of Texas football. I didn't smash anybody. I was talking to him about our high school years on Twitter one night a few years back though, and told him I was gonna tell everyone that I laid him out.

He's an older player who has been injured twice now in the last few years.

It's definitely a concern, especially at his position with the abuse he takes.

I saw him get absolutely toasted trying to get to an edge last week, but I'm pretty sure it was Sproles that did it and despite Sproles age, he can still torch even the youngest LB.

There's no question at all that he's lost a step. But he does play a pretty crucial role in getting the defense set up. That's why I say the Chiefs would end up having to pay a hometown premium if they paid him for what he can do here in KC rather than what his free agent market would be.

He's not going to be nearly as good/valuable anywhere else as he is here. The athleticism that made him so dynamic 5 years ago is well in his rearview.

Gotta think he'd be outstanding in a coaching role as well, when he finally decides to hang it up.

I hope we can win it all this year and let Tamba and DJ retire so their bodies can stop taking a beating. Then Alex Smith can play out the last year of his contract without controversy and CP will be a happier place.

Not to hijack, but what is the latest on Ragland? Is he fully healed and ready to roll and just needing to learn the scheme (hence his quote about DJ)?

I don't believe DJ has ever torn his ACL

Well we can't pay him $10.25 million next year. Good news is that unlike Tamba, DJ is a stand up team first guy who will lower his cap hit and help us out.

We're in a perfect position at ILB with the depth we have. Veach has done well there since he's been hired.

He's one of the players that I think could coach after he hangs up the cleats. I'd love to see him brought in as our LB coach under Sutton. If I had to choose....I'd probably say that DJ and Berry have a career in coaching after they're done.

Sad.

BJ Kissel @ChiefsReporter
Reggie Ragland was a full participant at practice today for the #Chiefs.
4:35 PM · Sep 21, 2017

I think he's really close.

Didn't he take a huge paycut for this year? Seems like I remember that being posted on here a while back.

I agree, although with Berry I believe he's more motivational than anything else.

That was my thought. Berry will do motivational speaking after his retirement and do very well with it too.

No, we'll be happier when you're gone.

Why do we always assume these guys want to get int coaching after football?

Because most coaches are former players...

Yeah, but most players don't become coaches

He may have lost his wheels a bit but he can still read a play and shoot the gap with the the best in the league.

He's slower yet he's still breaking up passes in coverage and blowing up run plays. He's STILL one of the best ILB's in the game.

D.J. sometimes forgets his age. He should have known to take more of a sideline angle on that pursuit, but he angled towards Sproles as if he had 4.5 speed.

Very good to overall see him out there and being effective though. I really wrote him off, after this last injury. He still serves great purpose in the box, but I don't think he has the juice to stray far from it.

He's a helluva football mind too though.

I still remember his rookie year in training camp when Haley was asking Berry to teach the receivers what they SHOULD'VE been doing, since Berry knew their routes and assignments better than they did.

I was being more hopeful than anything else. I'd like to keep his knowledge here in one form or another.

With DJ it's been stated by both he and Reid. There's a legit interest there. With Berry, not so much. Berry doesn't strike me as the coaching type.

That's right. There was an article about this a ways back.. certainly made me feel like this was a likely agenda for D.J. :shrug:

http://kan.247sports.com/Bolt/Chiefs...ing--105553783

When I lived in the KC area DJ came to our neighborhood garage sale. I think it was his rookie year. Really nice guy.

It has been fantastic watching his career. I hope it can continue, but his body appears to be slowing way down. Would love to see him coach our LBs once he retires.

We have had some great players come through Arrowhead. Glad we nabbed DJ he's one of if not my favorite player of all time. I tend to give him that title more than any Chief I have called the greatest.

DJ is my favorite player in the NFl. So many times he has been counted out, only to come back and rack up tackles.

He will go into the Chiefs Ring of Honor and hopefully have a long career with us as a coach.

One of the All Time Great Chiefs- on and off the field.

This.

.

I'm a little pressed for time - so haven't read any responses - good thread by the way - totally agree - but my question is - Where's Ragland on his road to recovery? - sorry if it's been answered.

Listed here as Full Practice for yesterday.
http://www.chiefs.com/team/injury-report.html

Dude sure as shit fed me my hat.

I never expected he'd be ready for week 1, let alone camp. Yet here he is. I'm not sure if he's all the way back but it's also possible that he is and this is just the new normal of a 35 yr old LBer with 2 significant lower body injuries.

His speed is clearly down a tick but man, between the tackles he's as smarty and savvy as he's ever been.

It will always irritate me that Scooter torched the primes of Hali, DJ and Charles the way he did. Those 3 guys deserves so much more than getting by on guile for the good teams that came in their decline phases.

what kind of beating has tamba taken this year?


and **** you

I think he looks significantly slower this year compared to years past.

He's still good, but father time appears to be knockimg on his door.

Sign DJ to a team friendly deal. I think he would go for it, especially if Andy was to tell him he would have a spot on the coaching staff if he wanted it after he retires.

I could see DJ being a great D cord. or head coach someday.

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You just can't keep DJ and Berry down- these guys have so much heart. I hope Berry can come back like DJ did.

Do they have the same doctor?

Dr. Andrews was seen at Wild Woody's off Noland Rd just two weeks ago!

Well dang - looks like it'll be at LEAST one more week.


Ragland has yet to see game action this season but did practice on a limited basis last week and on Wednesday, so he looks to be ready for Sunday's game against the Chargers. The 2016 second-round pick isn't expected to play a major role on the Chiefs defense right away, and will likely only be a reserve linebacker and special teams player, if he even suits up

DJ's instincts and smarts are unmatched by many in the NFL right now. If we can get him to take another pay cut next year and he remains productive this year, I am all for keeping him around.

Hopefully they win the Super Bowl this year and he can just go ahead and retire, maybe become a coach.

ROFL

I used to love Wild Woodys as a kid- it was like a Hillbilly Paradise.

The kids would play games and ride the toy horses while the adults shopped for cheap shit.

DJ and the Sherminator both took pay cuts because they want to get rings. I’m sure if we asked DJ to lower his cap hit from 10 mil to 5 mil next year he would have no problem. He wants to play another 3-4 years.

DJ isn’t limping. He’s just slow. That’s what getting old does. However he still has some of the best instincts ever and is very good is the passing game.

This. I've seen a lot of great ILBs in my time and I'd have to say that he's about as good as they get. I hope he says as a coach when his time is up.

I want him to be our LBs coach. Imagine our group? Talk about instincts

Berry used the same doctor for his achilles as DJ.

Flexibility begets range of motion begets speed.

No, he's not limping, but full flexibility and range of motion are going to be the last things he gets back. No, he's not suddenly going to get back to being a 4.6 guy; but it doesn't take much to be the difference between turning someone back inside and losing the edge. Between snagging a foot on a dive and reaching for air.

Like I said - there's a distinct possibility that this is what he is. But you can't see if he has his dexterity back in his lower half yet nor can you know if he's back to 100% game shape. If he loosens up that ankle just a little more, he may have just an Nth more explosion out of a cut. If he gets just a little more past rehab and back into football conditioning, maybe he's just a little fresher in the 3rd.

There are ways for him to maybe get just an inkling of speed back and it could be the thing that saves a play that stops a drive that yields a 7 point swing and pulls a W from the jaws of an L. It's a funny sport that rests constantly on a knife's edge. He may not have anything left to recapture. It may not even matter if he does. But then again, he may and it might.

Can't presume anything just yet.

Ragland is playing sunday!!

Are you sure ? Do you have a ****ing link!

Look at the injury report. It doesn’t take a ****ing link

Oh, my bad ! And you don't need to curse !

May still end up inactive depending on the coaching staff's belief as to whether or not he's ready to contribute despite limited reps.

He's 50/50 until the inactive list comes out, IMO.

He would be listed as questionable than. However he isn’t on the injury report at all and he practiced the past 2 days which means he will be play

We need a ****ing link !:cuss:

No. 'Questionable' is whether or not he's injured.

Healthy don't mean he'll play. 53 man rosters; 46 gameday actives. Now they'll have some like Morse that will be on the 53 but unhealthy so they won't play. But they'll probably have 5ish 'healthy scratch' players.

Last week Tyler Bray, DJ White, Jordan Devey, Jehu Chesson and Jarvis Jenkins were all gameday inactives despite not being on an injury report. Those guys practiced every day and still didn't play. They didn't even dress.

You're just not right. He may play, yes. If the Chiefs determine he's presently up to speed and capable of contributing. But healthy or not, they may also decide that they need to see another week with him practicing to deactivate someone like Terrance Smith.

Be right - then indignant.

The recent spat of injuries is alarming. He's lost a step, but as was said... he's smart and instinctive.

If KC had some impressive young guys coming up, it would be different, but even at his age he's the best we have by miles.

Shit changes quickly in the NFL though.

Honestly for his first several years he was a bit of an underachiever. Haley benched him, and he's been an all pro since returning to the line-up.

I agree with you penbrook /things I'll probably never say again

Dude, let it go already. AS11 won't be in a Chiefs uni in 18 period.

Eligwe is gonna be goooooood, man.

I like pretty much everything I've seen from that kid. Now there's no replacement for experience, especially with as much as we put on our Mike (and with as much as DJ is capable of handling from the mental side of things). But give Eligwe some time and I think he's exactly that 'impressive young guy' you're asking for. I think he'll be a hell of a ballplayer.

Agree. He had a really good preseason

DJ is easily a top 4 Chief LB ever.

Bobby Bell
Willie Lanier
DT
DJ

So he is clearly a RoH player, and should also be a HoFer when he hangs the cleats up.

However, it is better the let a player walk a year early than a year late.

And it might well be that time for DJ.

I'd never looked at it like that but, yeah, that's pretty accurate.

I see nothing in DJ that has shown a decline yet. Week 1 and 2 he was busting through the line for a tackle for loss on the HB after reading the play...

That's the point.
He's still playing well, although he had already lost a step before this last injury.
He is at the age where he could could suddenly fall off a cliff, so you move on before he makes that fall.

Anticipation, better angles, and health can keep D.J. around and effective for 2-3 more years. Pretty amazing guy, really. :)