Tag: John Johnson

John Johnson III hasn’t turned out to be the free-agent steal many thought he was

The Rams reunited with John Johnson III this offseason but he’s struggling to even get on the field at safety

With a lot of youth and inexperience at safety, the Los Angeles Rams turned to a familiar face this offseason: John Johnson III, a seventh-year veteran who was surprisingly still available on the free-agent market. The Rams scooped him up in August, adding depth to a safety room that featured Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake.

It was logical to think that Johnson would quickly become a starter alongside Fuller, but maybe there’s a reason he only got a contract worth the veteran minimum of $1.08 million in 2023. Through four games, Johnson has barely seen the field and has almost exclusively been a special teams player.

He didn’t play a defensive snap in Weeks 1, 3 or 4, and in the only game he did play defense – Week 2 against the 49ers – he played only four total snaps. Meanwhile, Fuller has played all 249 snaps and Yeast has played 248. Even Lake is ahead of Johnson as the third safety, playing 43 snaps in four games thus far.

Sean McVay, Raheem Morris and several Rams players were jacked about getting Johnson back in Los Angeles, raving about his knowledge of the defense and his history as a playmaker. So why isn’t he getting any looks on defense?

The Rams simply like their younger guys better, and thus far, Fuller, Yeast and Lake have given them no reason to mess with the status quo. While none of them are playing at a Pro Bowl level, they’ve been plenty good enough to remain the starters. Yeast plays with a ton of energy on the back end and Fuller is an unquestioned leader in the secondary. Lake has done a nice job in coverage when given opportunities, too.

Very simply, the Rams haven’t needed Johnson and it seems like he hasn’t done enough in practice to earn reps on defense. There’s no guarantee that will change, either.

John Johnson III expects Quentin Lake to be ‘a big contributor’ for Rams

Quentin Lake stood out against the Raiders on Saturday night and has caught the eye of John Johnson III this summer

John Johnson III has only been back with the Rams for a few weeks but he’s quickly getting up to speed as the season opener approaches. He was on the field to start Saturday’s game against the Raiders and looked like the player he was from 2017-2020 with the Rams, flying around the field and making plays.

As he’s gotten acclimated to his new (but familiar) team, he’s taken notice of Quentin Lake’s play at safety. Johnson was asked after Saturday’s game about one player who’s standing out on defense and he mentioned Lake.

“I’ve been telling people Quentin Lake,” he said. “He’s been hitting people, always in the right spot. I think he’s going to be a big contributor for us.”

Lake played really well against the Raiders, making one tackle on defense and two on special teams. He was also in good coverage on the Raiders’ fourth-down attempt in the first half, which fell incomplete; that came the play after Lake made a key third-down stop on a run up the middle.

Sean McVay had some good things to say about Lake after the game, too, pointing to his toughness and versatility.

“He’s doing a great job. I think he’s got the ability to play safety. He’s done a nice job being able to play in our dime package and his versatility, his football instincts and intelligence shows up,” McVay said. “I think he’s shown great toughness in some of those covers. You look at it, he’s made a handful of plays in the kickoff coverage unit each of the last couple weeks. He’s been really productive as a safety, and I think he’s really just getting comfortable. I think people forget he was a guy that worked through a lot of stuff to be able to even get on the field towards the latter part of the year. Always been instinctual, incredibly smart, comes from a great football pedigree. I’ve been really pleased with Quentin over the last couple weeks.”

Lake is competing with Russ Yeast to be the Rams’ third safety, which will see significant playing time in dime and nickel packages. Both second-year safeties have put some good things on tape so far, which is a good problem for the Rams to have.

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‘Ernest would beat him up’: John Johnson not taking green dot from Jones

Raheem Morris had a funny way to confirm Ernest Jones will still be the defensive signal caller over John Johnson III

All offseason, the Los Angeles Rams have operated on defense with the plan to have Ernest Jones wear the green dot on his helmet, making him the player who relays the play calls from Raheem Morris to the rest of the defense. It’ll be the first time he’ll have that responsibility after Bobby Wagner wore the green dot last year and Jordan Fuller the year prior.

Some fans probably wondered if John Johnson III might take that role from Jones after previously being the Rams’ signal caller in 2020 but Raheem Morris made one thing very clear: that’s not happening.

During his press conference Monday, Morris raved about Johnson but ensured everyone that Jones will keep the green dot because if Johnson took it, “Ernest would beat him up.”

“The intelligence, the smarts, the coach on the field, some of those types of things that he’s so accustomed to doing,” Morris said of Johnson. “He’s the guy that’s worn the green dot, so having two guys in the backend that has actually had the green dot before and being able to communicate throughout the defense only can increase that, especially with a young team, so that’s very helpful. Now he’s not getting a green dot from Ernest because Ernest would beat him up, but those two being back there and the potential of Russ (Yeast), helping him develop and Quentin Lake and all those guys, it’s some great competition so I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen today.”

Johnston is still getting up to speed in Los Angeles after only signing a week ago, so he hasn’t exactly cut loose in practice yet. It doesn’t help that he missed the entire offseason workout program while sitting on the market as a free agent.

Morris was excited to see him do a bit more in practice on Monday and he should continue to ramp up as the Rams practice with the Raiders this week and the Broncos the following week.

“It’s really been cool,” Morris said. “John is everything as advertised, that spirit, that fun loving guy and I’m really getting a chance to be excited today when we get a chance to watch him practice a little more and get more involved, so I’m really excited about that.”

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Rams got a bargain with John Johnson’s $1.08M veteran-minimum deal

John Johnson III signed a one-year deal with the Rams for the veteran minimum, which is $1.08 million.

When John Johnson III signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent in 2021, he landed a three-year deal worth $33.75 million. He only played out two years of that contract, getting released by Cleveland this offseason.

The contract he signed with the Rams this week is for significantly less than what he earned the last two years in Cleveland. According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, Johnson’s deal with the Rams is for one year at the veteran minimum of $1.08 million.

That’s an absolute bargain for Los Angeles, and it’s honestly surprising Johnson wasn’t able to get more from another team. Getting a 27-year-old safety who’s started 80 games in his career at the league minimum is a steal, especially for a Rams team that’s been pinching pennies this offseason to keep things under control cap-wise.

Johnson expressed his excitement about being back with the Rams this week, saying a return to Los Angeles has always been a thought since he left two years ago. The Rams are equally thrilled to have him back, with Sean McVay calling him a “foundational piece” to what they built when they both arrived in 2017 and mentioning that he’s still a “really good player.”

Johnson did sit on the free-agent market for a while – more than four months, to give you an idea – but the fact that he only got the league minimum is surprising. This should go down as the Rams’ best move of the offseason.

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Sean McVay explains Rams’ decision to sign John Johnson III, a ‘really good player’

Sean McVay is excited to have John Johnson III back with the Rams, calling him a “really good player”

While it might not be considered a splash or major signing, the Los Angeles Rams added to their secondary by bringing back John Johnson III this week. They signed him to a one-year deal on Monday, reuniting with one of Sean McVay’s first draft picks.

After spending four years with the Rams from 2017-2020, Johnson played the last two years with the Browns, which weren’t his best seasons as a pro. But he’s looking to rebound in his seventh NFL season with a team he’s very familiar with.

As excited as Johnson is to be back in Los Angeles, McVay is equally thrilled to have the former third-round pick in his secondary again. After practice on Tuesday, McVay explained the signing and described it as an opportunity to add a “really good player” to the defense – someone who “was a foundational piece” for the Rams in the past.

“It’s great to be able to have him back. Really, just another really good player. Obviously was here from the start of when we got here in ’17, was a foundational piece,” McVay said. “To be able to get a guy that’s familiar with the culture, has played a lot of really good football. He’s gonna come in and he’s gonna continue to compete and earn everything just like everybody else. But we felt it was a chance to be able to upgrade our secondary, upgrade the depth of our safety room. I’m looking forward to getting him out here. He got out here in individual and a couple of plays in 7-on-7, but we’ll continue to get him acclimated smartly and we’ll see what that looks like but it’s great to have JJ back.”

Johnson is listed as a backup safety right now but that’s only because he’s still getting acclimated. Regardless of whether he’s a starter or backup initially, Johnson is going to contribute early on, competing with Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake at safety.

As someone who previously relayed the defensive calls with the Rams, he knows this defense well. And entering his seventh season in the NFL, his experience is going to be invaluable for the rest of the secondary.

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John Johnson III motivated after after Browns release: ‘Feel like I’m in my prime’

John Johnson III is entering his 7th season in the NFL but he’s still just 27 and feels like he’s in his prime

John Johnson III left the Rams as one of the top safeties on the free-agent market in 2021, earning a three-year deal worth $33.75 million deal from the Browns. He only played two years into that contract before he was released by Cleveland this offseason.

Johnson remained available until he reunited with the Rams this week, a shocking development for a player who played at a near-Pro Bowl level for Los Angeles. He’s thrilled to be back with the Rams now, hoping to help them turn things around after a 5-12 season.

He’s trying to bounce back from a season that wasn’t up to his own expectations, too. And even though he’s entering his seventh NFL season, he’s still just 27 and feels like he’s in his prime.

“I still feel like I put some good stuff on tape,” he said Tuesday. “Obviously, I didn’t meet my expectations. Obviously, I didn’t meet the other organization’s expectations, but it puts a chip on your shoulder and show that you can still go. I’m young. I feel like I’m in my prime. I just need a place and an opportunity to do it and I’m just blessed that I have one.”

Johnson finished last season with the second-lowest PFF grade of his career (62.8), better than only his 2019 season when he missed 10 games and finished with a grade of 53.5. Other than that, he had three seasons with grades of at least 80.0 from PFF, ranking among the best safeties in the league.

Johnson’s stint in Cleveland may have been a disappointment but he’s ready to prove he’s still a playmaker on the back end of Los Angeles’ defense.

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Look: John Johnson III is in uniform for first practice with Rams

One day after signing with the Rams, John Johnson III is back in his No. 43 uniform for Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Rams are wasting no time getting John Johnson III in the mix on defense. One day after he was signed to a one-year contract, Johnson suited up for practice – the Rams’ final session of training camp.

Always a fan favorite, Johnson’s signing came at a perfect time with Tuesday being the last time fans will see the Rams practice this year.

He’s back in his usual No. 43 uniform, rocking the horns and Bone-colored jersey once again for Los Angeles after two years with the Browns in 2021 and 2022. Take a look at Johnson on the field for his first practice back with the Rams on Tuesday. It’s as if he never left.

Johnson should be one of the Rams’ starting safeties right away, joining Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake at that position. With his experience in the Rams’ defense and his range on the back end, this is a perfect signing for Los Angeles.

Fans should be excited to see Johnson back in a Rams uniform this year.

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John Johnson III is the perfect addition to a young Rams secondary

With John Johnson III, the Rams are adding a familiar face to a young safety group that could use a veteran voice

As soon as the Browns released John Johnson III in March, fans urged the Rams to bring him back to Los Angeles. He was a fan favorite from 2017-2020, so it was only natural that his supporters wanted him back in horns.

The Rams are making it happen, agreeing to a one-year deal with Johnson on Monday after he visited training camp one day earlier.

It was such an obvious match between the team and player, so it’s hardly surprising that the two sides made it work. Johnson gets to return to the team he shined with for four years, while the Rams get a veteran safety to join their young secondary.

Aside from 28-year-old Ahkello Witherspoon, who the Rams signed in June, there isn’t a defensive back on the roster older than 25. Only Witherspoon, Jordan Fuller and Robert Rochell have been in the NFL for at least two seasons, which shows just how young and inexperienced the Rams’ secondary is.

Johnson changes the picture a little bit, both in terms of age and NFL experience. Though he’s entering his seventh season, he’s still just 27 years old. There are only nine players on the Rams’ entire roster older than Johnson and only five with more seasons in the league.

Johnson won’t be handed a starting role because so few people on this team are going to be, but it’s hard to imagine him being a backup to Fuller, Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake. In all likelihood, Johnson will be a starter next to Fuller, allowing Yeast and Lake to play almost exclusively in sub-packages.

Johnson’s experience in the Rams’ system is an added bonus. It’s not just that he’s played a lot of snaps in the NFL – 5,056, to be exact – it’s that he played four years in Los Angeles, one of which was in the current scheme established by Brandon Staley in 2020.

Johnson was a captain that year and also wore the green dot on his helmet as the defensive signal caller, so he had Staley in his ear on every snap relaying the play call. Though the scheme has changed a little bit since Raheem Morris took over, the basic structure remains similar to when Johnson was in L.A.

Beyond just the experience he brings, Johnson is also a talented safety – and a versatile one, too. He can play deep in coverage, line up in the box and split out wide to cover tight ends one-on-one. Just look at this interception he had in 2018, playing it perfectly against Jared Cook on the outside.

On this play that same season, Johnson matched up with George Kittle in man coverage, following him across the field on a crosser. Johnson stayed close to Kittle and broke on the ball to not only break it up, but somehow intercept the pass.

It was one of the best picks of his career so far.

And who can forget his interception in overtime against the Saints to help send the Rams to the Super Bowl? He showed good awareness to find the floating pass and haul it in while falling on his back, setting up the eventual game-winning field goal.

Johnson’s tenure with the Browns was shaky at times, earning defensive grades of 62.8 and 68.7, according to PFF, but he was fantastic with the Rams. And considering he’s just 27 years old, he’s not past his prime by any means.

If the Rams can get the version of Johnson they saw in his four years in Los Angeles, this defense just got a significant upgrade. And even if he isn’t that same player, the safety depth improved significantly with this move, providing some insurance in case Fuller, Yeast or Lake get injured.

Johnson is durable, talented and experienced, which makes this a perfect move by the Rams.

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How John Johnson’s return affects the Rams’ depth chart at safety

With John Johnson returning to the Rams, it shakes up the depth chart at safety ahead of the 2023 season

The Los Angeles Rams are reuniting with John Johnson, agreeing to a one-year deal with the veteran safety. Johnson’s return alters the outlook of the secondary and it will undoubtedly affect how the depth chart shakes out ahead of Week 1.

Prior to a two-year stint with the Cleveland Browns in 2021 and 2022, Johnson was with the Rams from 2017 to 2020. Johnson quickly became a starter when he joined the Rams in 2017 and became a defensive captain rather quickly, producing 32 pass breakups and eight interceptions in his four years in Los Angeles.

Before Johnson reunited with the Rams, the starting safeties for the 2023 campaign were expected to be Jordan Fuller and either Quentin Lake or Russ Yeast. Fuller was listed as the starting strong safety, while Yeast and Fuller were battling to be the starting free safety.

Considering his previous experience with the Rams, and the fact he’s still a productive safety at only 27 years old, Johnson figures to slide in as the starting free safety this season. That means that guys like Yeast, Lake, and Jason Taylor II will be relegated to reserve or special teams roles to begin the upcoming season.

At the moment, the Rams may not have confidence in either Yeast or Lake making the leap to full-time starter yet. While Johnson’s presence will almost certainly prevent him from starting, Lake has been moving around the defense throughout training camp, even playing dime linebacker in practice.

Besides Yeast and Lake seeing their chances of starting decline, the odds of undrafted rookies Quindell Johnson and Tanner Ingle making the roster have also taken a hit. The same goes for Richard LeCounte III. The five safeties that are expected to remain on the roster are now Johnson, Fuller, Yeast, Lake, and Taylor.

It’s highly improbable that the Rams consider keeping six or more safeties on the 53-man roster, which means that Johnson, Ingle and LeCounte’s best chance to remain in Los Angeles is via the practice squad. Along with bringing experience and production to the secondary, Johnson’s return to the Rams will make it interesting when the team needs to decide their depth chart at the safety position.

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Rams are bringing back John Johnson III on one-year deal

The Rams are reuniting with John Johnson III, giving him a one-year deal for the 2023 season

John Johnson III was a visitor at Rams training camp on Sunday but he wasn’t just there to spectate practice. It appears he was also considering a deal with his former team.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Rams are signing Johnson to a one-year deal. Jake Ellenbogen reported the signing first on Monday. The terms of the contract were not released but it’s unlikely to be for a significant amount, given the timing and the Rams’ reluctance to spend much this offseason.

Johnson, 27, was released by the Browns this offseason after two years with the team. He started his NFL career with the Rams, spending four years in Los Angeles after being a third-round pick in 2017.

Johnson played 32 games with the Browns the last two years, recording 162 tackles, one sack, four interceptions and three forced fumbles. During his four years with the Rams, he had two 100-tackle seasons and picked off eight passes, including four in 2018 alone.

He never made the Pro Bowl but Johnson was a major part of the Rams’ defense from 2017-2020, helping punch their ticket to the Super Bowl with an overtime interception against the Saints in the 2018 playoffs.

Johnson joins Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast, Quentin Lake, Jason Taylor II and the Rams’ other young defenders at safety, bringing a veteran presence despite still only being 27 years old.

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