LB Alexander Johnson receives Broncos' highest PFF grade vs. Seahawks

Alexander Johnson's road to the NFL was a long one, which I will not recount, but he's finally beginning to see some meaningful reps on the Denver Broncos' defense.

In preseason Game 2 vs. the Seattle Seahawks, Johnson started at inside linebacker next to fellow second-year player Keishawn Bierria. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson finished as the Broncos' highest-graded player on both sides of the ball, receiving an 89.0 grade. The minimum was 15 snaps played.

Johnson tallied four combined tackles (two solo). With 35 snaps, he was on the field for 51% of the Broncos' defensive plays. As I wrote before the game, the Broncos need a backup LB to emerge and separate from the pack. Thus far, that would clearly be Johnson.

Earning a positive grade from PFF is a great step toward helping Johnson to build confidence in his second year. There were times he looked very instinctive, flying downhill to fill a gap and stuff a ball-carrier.

But the 6-foot-2, 255-pound LB, when asked to cover space or turn and run with an assignment, doesn't look the fleetest of foot. Coverage is a skill-set that can be improved with experience and film study but for the most part, an LB is what he is in the speed and lateral quickness department.

That's why losing fellow depth LB Joe Jones to a triceps injury hurt the Broncos so much. However, the team is very high on Johnson and he would appear to be the No. 3 ILB behind starting tandem Todd Davis and Josey Jewell.

Davis is still recuperating from a calf injury sustained on the first day of training camp, while Jewell was held out of action in Seattle due to a minor oblique injury he suffered earlier this week during practice.

Here's to hoping Alexander Johnson can build on his first two preseason games. I like what I've seen from him so far, despite some of his athletic limitations.

For what it's worth, to round out PFF's top-5 highest-graded defensive players, behind Johnson it went LB Justin Hollins (87.3), LB Josh Watson (74.3), S Su'a Cravens (72.4) and DL Zach Kerr (72.4).

The first and second-string defensive units were solid on Thursday night in Seattle. But the third and fourth-team guys were about as bad as it gets in the second half, allowing former Broncos' first-round-busted QB Paxton Lynch to run roughshod over them to the tune of 11-of-15 passing, for 109 yards and a touchdown, plus 38 rushing yards and another score on the ground.

The second half was also replete with penalties, but as I wrote earlier on Friday, I wouldn't read too much into that.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.