Johnson making presence felt

He doesn’t want to be called Mr. August. So far in 2007, it seems like Bryant Johnson need not worry.

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The Cardinals wide receiver is having what might turn out to be a career season. With three games to go, he has 39 catches (10 short of his career best), two for touchdowns.

Johnson was a star of the team’s offseason workouts and training camp.

That was great for a start. But sometimes in the past, Johnson would look great in the exhibition season and fail to carry his success through a full season.

This year, he’s winning praise from both coaches and teammates when it counts most.

“He’s been very good for us,” coach Ken Whisenhunt says, who sees Johnson’s offseason and preseason work carrying over.

“I’m glad to see that. It certainly helps us (coaches) to say, 'When you work this hard in the offseason you can see the results in-season.’

“I’m excited for Bryant. He’s been a true professional for this team and a leader in what we’ve asked him to do. His play has shown that.”

He got off to a fine start early in the year when he helped push the Cards over the top with key third-down catches in a narrow win at home over Seattle.

As the season wore on, Johnson — the team’s longtime No. 3 receiver — got more playing time than usual because Anquan Boldin was hobbled with injuries (as Larry Fitzgerald has been more recently).

“I have no idea where we’d be without him,” says quarterback Kurt Warner, who says he’s “always had a good rapport with Bryant. We’ve always connected well from the first day I’ve been here.”

With Boldin and Fitzgerald in and out of the lineup, “He’s been a huge comfort net for me.

“He’s going to know what to do. He’s going to be in the right spot.

“I can always go to Bryant and feel good in man-to-man situations.”

In turn, the fact the coaches and Warner keep going to him must help Johnson’s confidence that he’s a starting-caliber player, Warner suggested.

“He’s come up with big play after big play to really keep us going. …

“We have three huge weapons now.

“We have three guys who people have to contend with.”

Johnson is wary of talking about his season, perhaps not wanting to jinx himself before it’s all over.

“I’ll do that when the season is over,” he says about analyzing his performance.

“Right now, the focus is on New Orleans” for Sunday’s game against the Saints..

But he did say that, though he will be a free agent this offseason, “I definitely would like to come back. But that’s not in my hands right now.

“I’ve spent five years here. It’s a great place to be. I love the team.”

He’ll love this season, too, if he can finish it out strong over the next three games.