Twelve Questions For Detroit Lions Receiver Calvin Johnson

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson has the distinction of being Matt Millen’s only bona fide, no-doubt excellent draft choice. That might sound like a backhanded compliment, but the 6'5", 239-pound “Megatron” is a legitimate star after catching 78 passes for 1,331 yards and 12 TDs for one of the league’s worst offenses in 2008. Here’s my top 12 questions for Johnson as he prepares for his third NFL season.

1.      With Roy Williams gone, how does it feel to enter the season as the team’s unquestioned number one receiver?

2.      What did you learn in your first two years that will make you a better player this season?

3.      Who is the best defensive back you’ve faced and what makes him so tough?

4.      How does an 0-16 team develop the confidence necessary to compete week-in and week-out in 2009?

5.      How difficult is it to adjust to your third offensive coordinator in three NFL seasons?

6.      How will coordinator Scott Linehan’s offense differ from last year’s attack?

7.      What is your impression of head coach Jim Schwartz?

8.      How has rookie quarterback Matt Stafford looked during the mini-camps?

9.      Did you establish good chemistry with Daunte Culpepper last season?

10.  The Lions drafted a tight end, Brandon Pettigrew, in the first round this year. How can improved tight end play open things up for you on the outside?

11.  Your complementary wideouts this year are new – Bryant Johnson and Ronald Curry. How important is it to develop chemistry among the wide receivers group?

12.  If you could design a play to add to the Lions’ 2009 playbook, what would it be?