Former Longhorns RB Roschon Johnson Impressing With Bears In Preseason
For the typical fan, preseason games mean nothing. Their favorite team's outlook won't mean much if the roster goes undefeated or winless over three games in August.
For former Texas running back Roschon Johnson, the preseason means everything. Starters usually rest after a handful of drives, thus opening up the door for anyone looking to extend their rep count.
Every rep counts for Johnson — a fourth-round pick by the Chicago Bears — if he expects to garner more playing time during his rookie season. The game is where he's at his best, proving to the coaching his combination of physicality and play strength will be an asset outside of depth in practice.
“Play by play, it’s coming along,” Johnson said postgame at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. “I don’t think I’m behind. But at the same time, I’ve got a lot to prove. It’s trending in the right direction. Positive signs. I’ve still got to take it a day at a time and keep chipping away.”
Johnson had his chance to strut his stuff early in a 24-17 loss to the Colts Saturday, combining his bruiser-built running style with a bit of elusiveness. He totaled seven carries for 32 yards and caught an 11-yard pass from backup quarterback Tyson Bagdet that factored into a 92-yard, 17-play scoring drive in the second quarter.
Since joining the windy city franchise, Johnson's made his presence felt in practice and on gamedays. Last week in Chicago's win over the Tennessee Titans, Johnson rushed for a team-high 44 yards on 12 carries, including a run of 24 yards.
"I'm a guy who likes to use his body as a weapon and just kind of play off of that," Johnson told reporters earlier in training camp. "So definitely that's a tool in my toolbox that I try to use."
Johnson's "weapon" provided an extended rep count during his time at Texas. While the Longhorns' featured Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson in their backfield, coach Steve Sarkisian knew he needed a reliable option for the short-yardage runs and pass protection in case of injury.
Enter Johnson, who served as one of the team leaders during his time on the Forty Acres and became a fan favorite on Saturdays. Last season, he ran for 554 yards and five TDs on 93 carries and had 14 receptions for 128 yards and one TD.
Leadership and maturity have always been traits instilled in Johnson. Recruited out of Port Neches-Groves High as a quarterback, it wasn't until Tom Herman asked if Johnson would be willing to switch roles to better his playing time that Johnson reached his full potential.
One area Johnson could carve out significant reps early with Chicago is on passing downs, primarily due to his success in pass protection. Third-year quarterback Justin Fields was the most pressured quarterback of the 2022 season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, and was sacked 55 times, tied for most at the position behind Denver Broncos Russell Wilson.
During joint practices this week in Westfield, Ind., Johnson said that he learned how to improve his pass protection techniques under coaches Tashard Choice and Stan Drayton over the previous two years, and that fundamentally, the same rules apply from the college level to the pros.
"You're going against different athletes and a different caliber of player," said Johnson. "It's different in that aspect, but ultimately the technique and the fundamentals that I learned at Texas definitely translate here."
Johnson is projected to be the No. 3 running back for Chicago entering the season behind Khalil Herbert and former Longhorn and Doak Walker winner D'Onta Foreman. The rookie is also expected to make a substantial impact on special teams, primarily on kickoff and return duty.
The Bears open the season against rival Green Bay at Soldier Field on Sept. 10. The day prior, No. 12 Texas travels to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 Alabama for a potential top-10 matchup at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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