Lions’ Calvin Johnson Thinks He Can Get Even Better

June 11, 2013; Allen Park, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) during mini camp at Lions training facility. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, sometimes known as Megatron, shocked the NFL last year by shattering records belonging to Jerry Rice and racking up over 1,900 receiving yards.

Yet, Johnson apparently thinks he can be even better.

That’s a scary thought.

Here’s NFL.com’s Marc Sessler with a quote from quarterback Matthew Stafford:

"“I mean, he thinks he can, which is all that matters,” Stafford said. “That guy works harder than anybody I know, and he thinks he can get better, so I wouldn’t put anything past him. He’s a guy that can obviously run all the routes, inside, outside, make all the catches, and is a smart football player and a really good teammate.”"

The Spin: It would be foolish to doubt Megatron. He dropped from 16 touchdowns in 2011 to just five in 2012, so him upping that total would not be a surprise.

The problem is, Johnson was helped by the extreme lack of balance on offense last year. That should be mitigated with the addition of running back Reggie Bush, who should be able to catch a lot of passes out of the backfield.

Detroit’s offense may not have to rely on Megatron as much in 2013. That’s good for the offense, bad for Johnson. There’s no doubt Johnson can still become a better player, but statistically it’s going to be tough to top his 2012 campaign.

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