Hey Goose, remember the LJ Debate? Check out the latest - sounds like Stracke knows what he’s talking about:

Chiefs want RB Johnson more involved in pass game
Written by: Jason King ¦ 5/31/2007
Source: www.kansascity.com
One year after setting an NFL record with 416 carries, Chiefs All-Pro Larry Johnson will likely become an ever bigger part of Kansas City's offense in 2007.

So says head coach Herm Edwards, who on Wednesday expressed his intentions to get Johnson more touches not as a tailback - but as a receiver.

"That's the next step in his development as a running back in this league: His ability to come out of the backfield running routes," Edwards said. "We need to get the ball to our backs a little more than we did last year."

Johnson caught a respectable 41 passes for 410 yards in 2006, but Edwards said that number should rise to at least 60 this season. He said Johnson's bullish running style and 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame are ideal for a back who doubles as a receiver.

"If you've got athletic players like Larry who can catch the ball out of the backfield, they can make plays," Edwards said. "If he catches 60 passes to me it's like an extended run. It's almost like a toss play.

"He's out of harm's way and he's in the secondary already when he gets the ball, so he doesn't have to run through the defensive line. When you can do that with a guy who has some speed and is hard to tackle already in the open field because he's so big and strong, it gives you another weapon."

Of course, before he begins to worry about gaining yards, Johnson has to catch the ball first. Simple as the task may seem, it's not always easy for running backs - especially those who haven't been utilized in such a fashion before.

Johnson's backup, Michael Bennett, said he caught just one pass during his collegiate career before becoming more of a receiving threat with the Minnesota Vikings, his former team.

"Hopefully they'll use it a lot here, too," Bennett said. "With the type of offense we have, everyone is looking for the run. It'd be a great thing to get the ball out of the backfield, that way we can keep the defense honest.

"It's really just a matter of getting used to it," Bennett said. "With catching, it's just got to become a habit. I think we all catch the ball pretty well out of the backfield."

That includes Johnson, who's caught 74 passes the last two years. He also snared 41 passes as a senior at Penn State.

Edwards said it's been obvious during the Chiefs' organized team activities the last two weeks that Johnson is focused on enhancing his role as a receiver.

"He's been the leader of the backs," Edwards said. "He's finishing all his plays. He's very conscientious of coming out of the backfield and being a productive pass-catcher. He's working on being more defined in his routes."