ALLEN PARK, Mich. — To Detroit Lions fans, he’s just Calvin. Maybe this year the rest of the NFL will know him that way, too.

Receiver Calvin Johnson was one of the very few bright spots during the Lions’ 0-16 season a year ago. The 6-foot-5 Johnson started all 16 games and finished with 78 catches for 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He matched Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald for the most scoring catches in the league and was second in yards per catch (17.1) before being chosen as a Pro Bowl alternate. Entering his third season, he’s already piled up 126 catches and 2,087 yards despite making just 48 receptions his rookie season.
Johnson, praised by coaches and teammates as much for his humility as his talent, said the numbers aren’t important this fall.
“I really don’t set numbers for myself,” he said. “I just want to do better in every category than I did before.”
The league’s defensive coordinators have seen enough of Johnson to know he’ll need special attention. That’s fine with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who spent several seasons working with one of the NFL’s greats.
“I spent three years watching teams double- and triple-team Randy Moss,” he said. “It’s more fun than it is a challenge. You have to be creative enough without forcing it. You’ve got to resist the temptation to just throw it up over the middle.”
Running back Kevin Smith showed promise as a rookie last season and the Lions brought in veteran wideouts Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt. Still, it’s clear they’ll have to get the ball to Johnson consistently to be successful on offense.
Herman Moore, the franchise’s last great receiver, said he’s certain Johnson will be a superstar.
“He’s one of those players that, when he’s on the field, you try to find out where he is because you know he might do something special,” said Moore, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who holds the franchise records for career receptions and yards.
“When you start talking about the elite receivers — and not just the young receivers but the elite receivers — you can’t exclude him.”