In an article about Carson Palmer on Thursday, NFL.com’s Vic Carucci wrote a truism to keep in mind in the coming weeks:
“This is what happens during an offseason when no NFL business is being done: The media starts manufacturing stories,” he said.
So with that out of the way, let’s keep manufacturing them.
More than once this offseason, we’ve noticed writers mention Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson as a possible target for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh, after all, coached Johnson at the University of San Diego.
Johnson was asked about the possibility and was quick to say he couldn’t comment on any possible interest. He did pass along that he has a great relationship with Harbaugh.
“Even if we don’t get together, there’s always going to be a mutual relationship between us,” Johnson told Carl Steward of the Oakland Tribune. “There’s a lot of respect there, because I know what he did for me as a player. I know how much I grew to love him and his family. I felt like it was more than just a coach-player type of thing.”
We don’t necessarily see Johnson going anywhere because he has plenty of value to the Bucs as a backup quarterback that knows the team’s system. Then again, Johnson’s contract runs out in 2011 and the Bucs would surely listen if Harbaugh was interested.
The 49ers seem likely to draft a quarterback at some point in April, but they need to add at least one veteran to the mix, if not two. Johnson would probably be targeted for more of a backup role, but he’s a name to keep in mind.