Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Pro Bowl pass rusher and pending free agent Josh Allen has an early connection with a member of the Carolina coaching staff.
Unlike their staff on offense, the Carolina Panthers didn’t need to touch their defensive coaches going into 2024. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have connections to a few intriguing free agents.
Here are 14 pending defensive free agents, in areas of need, who have ties to Carolina’s coaching staff:
Former Titans DB Lonnie Johnson is reportedly signing with the Saints.
On the same day the Tennessee Titans added a versatile defensive back to their roster in Sean Murphy-Bunting, they lost one of their own free agents from last year’s group after Lonnie Johnson Jr. reportedly agreed to terms with the New Orleans Saints on a one-year deal.
According to Jordan Schultz of theScore, the versatile defensive back had interest from three different teams in free agency before settling on the Saints. The financial terms of his contract were not disclosed.
Schultz previously reported that the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks were interested in the services of the fifth-year veteran.
The Kentucky product is an experienced defensive back that has played in a total of 56 games over the span of his four-year career in Houston and Tennessee.
Johnson is coming off a 2022 season that saw him record 11 tackles over his 12 games with the Titans. The Saints’ newest defender also allowed a passer rating of 152.1 when targeted, ultimately finishing the year with an overall grade of 64.8, per Pro Football Focus.
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Former Titans DB Lonnie Johnson is receiving interest from at least two teams.
The Tennessee Titans may be on the verge of losing another veteran in free agency, as defensive back Lonnie Johnson appears to be receiving interest elsewhere on the open market.
According to Jordan Schultz of The Score, Johnson has already taken a free-agent visit with the Seattle Seahawks, while the San Francisco 49ers are another team among those with interest in the 27-year-old.
The Kentucky product is an experienced defensive back that has played in a total of 56 games (19 starts) throughout his four-year career, spending three seasons with the Houston Texans and one with the Titans.
Johnson is coming off a 2022 season that saw him record 11 tackles over 12 games. The former Titans defender also allowed a passer rating of 152.1 when targeted.
There’s been no indication the Titans were ever interested in a second season with the former Wildcat, and considering the lackluster on-field results, it’s looking more likely that Johnson’s tenure in Tennessee could be a short one.
The veteran defensive back finished with an overall grade of 64.8, per Pro Football Focus.
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New Titans DB Lonnie Johnson Jr. said he “wasn’t expecting” to land in Nashville.
The Tennessee Titans made a few additions to their secondary this week, one of which involved claiming former Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Lonnie Johnson off waivers.
A former second-round pick of the Texans in 2019, Johnson spent three years in Houston before being traded to the Chiefs earlier this offseason. However, Johnson was unexpectedly let go in the first round of cuts.
The Titans are already quite familiar with Johnson, who has faced Tennessee on multiple occasions during his three-year career. Adding to that, Johnson worked under defensive backs coach Anthony Midget in Houston.
Johnson didn’t wait long to make an impact in training camp. During his first practice on Wednesday, which was also the first joint session with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson recorded an interception.
“It’s just a blessing to be here,” Johnson said after practice on Wednesday, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “I wasn’t expecting it but I got a good connection with [head coach Mike Vrabel], got a good connection with the DB coach [Anthony Midget] here.”
“First day out, I was blessed to get a pick the first play I was in, so just doing what I can,” Johnson added.
Johnson brings some versatility with him. He can play at safety, cornerback, and has experience on special teams. Tennessee may also give him a look in the tight end matchup role previously held by Dane Cruikshank.
As the Kentucky product continues to get acclimated and tries to earn a spot on the roster in Nashville, he’s just happy to be joining a winning culture in Tennessee.
“Just get in where I fit in and just get ready to work,” Johnson said. “I know [the Titans] got a winning culture here. They want to win, they want to get to the Super Bowl… This team works hard, got an excellent running back, QB; everybody just doing what they can to get to that next level, that next stage.”
While Johnson is facing an uphill climb in making the roster after joining the Titans so late in the offseason, he has a better shot to make the cut than most would in his position after Tennessee’s depth options in the secondary were lackluster in preseason Week 1.
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The Titans are reportedly adding veteran CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
The Tennessee Titans are reportedly adding veteran cornerback Lonnie Johnson Jr. to their offseason roster. The move comes on the same day Tennessee made its first round of cuts.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Titans claimed Johnson off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs, who acquired him in a trade this offseason but unexpectedly cut the 26-year-old on Monday.
According to John Glennon of Sports Illustrated, the Titans are waiving defensive back Elijah Benton to make room for Johnson.
If the name sounds familiar, that’s probably because it is. Johnson is the latest in a long line of former Houston Texans to play in Nashville.
Johnson was originally a second-round pick of the Texans in 2019. Over three seasons in Houston, Johnson started in 19 of 44 games, totaling 172 combined tackles, three interceptions and 13 pass break-ups.
His best season came in 2021, when he permitted career-bests in completion rate (57.9%) and QB rating (76.6) allowed. Johnson also nabbed three picks and six pass break-ups.
Tennessee’s depth options in the secondary had their fair share of issues in preseason Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens’ backups, so it’s no surprise the team is exploring its options. Johnson has about as good a shot as any cornerback on the roster bubble to make the cut.
Prior to claiming Johnson, the Titans parted ways with five players in their first round of cuts, including running back Jordan Wilkins, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett, wide receiver Josh Malone, offensive lineman Carson Green and defensive back Deante Burton.
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The Houston Texans have traded defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs for a conditional draft pick in 2024
The #Texans traded DB Lonnie Johnson Jr. to the #Chiefs for a 2024 conditional 7th round pick, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2022
The Houston Texans have traded defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to the Kansas City chiefs for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, per multiple reports.
A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Kentucky, Johnson appeared in 44 games for the Texans over the past three seasons, making 19 starts. All three interceptions of his career came last season, along with six of his 13 pass breakups.
He now joins a Chiefs defense that desperately needs to improve in the secondary, giving him a promising opportunity to contribute to a potential Super Bowl contender.
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