Josh Johnson knows about the rumors that he could be reunited with his old college coach, Jim Harbaugh, with the San Francisco 49ers. But trades can't be made during the NFL player lockout, so for now, the quarterback remains with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I don't know what's going on with that situation, but we're locked out anyway," Johnson told the *San Jose Mercury News* on Thursday. "So I'm still part of the Buccaneers, as far as I know. I wish I could speak on it, but I can't."
Many people believe the 49ers are looking to upgrade at quarterback after carrying Alex Smith, Troy Smith and David Carr on their roster last season.
Johnson, a Bay Area native, threw for more than 3,200 yards in 2005 and 2006 under Harbaugh's tutelage at the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA school that doesn't offer football scholarships. Johnson's success led to him being a fifth-round draft pick by the Bucs in 2008.
Johnson has thrown for 796 yards in 17 games (four starts) for the Bucs over three seasons. He praised Bucs coach Raheem Morris on Thursday and said he believes he had a successful 2010 season because he developed as a quarterback behind starter Josh Freeman.
Johnson said that even if he doesn't end up playing for Harbaugh again, their relationship won't change.
"There's a lot of respect there, because I know what he did for me as a player," he said. "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."
