Johnson joins the Chiefs after spending the first three years of his career in Houston. His first order of business after being traded to Kansas City was to make sure that he was straight with a player whom he had a past run-in with on the gridiron. Right away after being traded, Johnson sent off a tweet directed toward Chiefs TE Travis Kelce.
— Lonnie Johnson jr. (@Lonnie30johnson) May 2, 2022
Johnson and Kelce had some heated moments in the 2019-2020 season, starting with the Week 6 loss to Houston at Arrowhead Stadium. Johnson, a rookie, was thrust into action against Kelce. He managed to hold his own, limiting Kelce to just four receptions for 58 yards on six targets.
When the two met again in the divisional round of the playoffs, Johnson had a much more difficult time covering Kelce. He had multiple pass interference calls go against him and the two were jawing quite frequently.
Travis Kelce trolling Lonnie Johnson after a pass interference call in the Chiefs' Comeback Blowout of the Texans in the divisional round last year. #51to7runpic.twitter.com/tQJCXrTrDc
Kelce exploded during that postseason game. On top of the multiple penalties by Johnson, Kelce hauled in 10 receptions on 12 targets for 134 yards and three touchdowns. It was a performance that helped Kansas City erase a 20-point deficit and come back to win the game.
Kelce, of course, got a kick out of the tweet and assured the newest member of Chiefs Kingdom that they’re on good terms.
Thankfully, Johnson won’t be covering any All-Pro tight ends in Kansas City, other than perhaps the occasional snap in practice. He’ll be playing cornerback full-time with the Chiefs.
While speaking with Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, Johnson revealed that he will play cornerback in Kansas City after three seasons of playing a hybrid role in Houston. The veteran is excited to have a single and secure role for a change.
“Man, I think they’re going to be able to use me the right way, go out there, be physical and have me lock down one position,” Johnson said. “To set a foundation with a team and position, I’m just overall happy and blessed”
While there were multiple factors leading to Johnson’s departure from the Texans, he mostly felt it was time for both sides to part ways. He was appreciative of them for drafting him, supporting him and trading him to a “winning team.” He was most thankful for being reunited with his former Texans teammate, Justin Reid, who Kansas City signed as a free agent this offseason.
“Man, it’s amazing, bro,” Johnson told Wilson. “(Reid), that’s my Evil Twin. I’m just glad to be in the situation that I’m. in just happy. I’m overwhelmed it’s crazy.”
It’s safe to say that the feeling is mutual between Johnson and Reid.
Between free agency, the 2022 NFL draft and this post-draft trade, the defensive secondary in Kansas City is beginning to take shape. It’s looking as competitive as it has ever been and should make for a good storyline as the offseason progresses.
The Houston Texans traded defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Texans announced the move on Monday.
Johnson, 26, was a second-round pick out of Kentucky during the 2019 draft. He’s played in 44 games (19 starts) for the Texans, tallying 176 tackles, 10 pass breakups and three interceptions. He was a seven-game starter and made all three of his career interceptions during the 2021 season.
The Texans drafted Jalen Pitre out of Baylor in the second round of the 2022 draft, making Johnson expendable.
The #Chiefs continue to add to the cornerback room and have traded for #Texans CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t done adding to the defensive secondary.
According to a new report from The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, the Kansas City Chiefs have traded for Houston Texans CB Lonnie Johnson Jr., who recently expressed on social media that he was leaving the Texans. Kansas City sent Houston a conditional 2024 seventh-round draft pick for Johnson.
The Chiefs have traded for Lonnie Johnson, per source. In exchange, the Texans have agreed to a 2024 conditional 7th-round pick.
Johnson (6-2, 213 pounds) is a former second-round draft pick by way of Kentucky from the 2019 NFL draft. He actually played at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas before playing for the Wildcats. In three seasons with the Texans, Johnson has appeared in 44 games with 19 games started, recording 172 total tackles, one tackle for loss, three interceptions and 13 passes defended. During the divisional-round game against the Chiefs in the 2019 playoffs, Johnson blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach added three new faces to the cornerback room via the 2022 NFL draft, but that appears to have not been enough for his comfort. Johnson has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and he’ll cost the Chiefs just over $1 million in cap space for 2022. At the price of a conditional seventh-round pick, it’s hard to see any negatives here.
Houston Texans rookies Jalen Pitre, Derek Stingley may spell the end of Lonnie Johnson’s tenure with the team.
When teams draft a veteran’s presumptive replacement, there are a myriad of ways they can react. Sometimes they punch windows out at a bar, other times they post goodbye videos on social media.
Count Houston Texans defensive back Lonnie Johnson as the latter.
The former 2019 second-round pick from Kentucky took to Twitter on Monday to post a video of himself running out of the tunnel at NRG Stadium ahead of the club’s Dec. 15, 2021 tilt with the Indianapolis Colts, in which Houston got pummeled 31-0 on Battle Red Day.
“Before y’all get to talking krazy on this app I asked for this myself thank you @HoustonTexans for the opportunity,” Johnson wrote. “This isn’t a farewell this is more like see ya soon.”
Before y’all get to talking krazy on this app I asked for this myself thank you @HoustonTexans for the opportunity this isn’t a farewell this is more like see ya soon ‼️ pic.twitter.com/B5fk45oLcq
— Lonnie Johnson jr. (@Lonnie30johnson) May 2, 2022
If Johnson “asked for this myself,” it could be nothing more than a trade request. Presuming Johnson indeed requested a trade, it could be because the 26-year-old from Gary, Indiana, sees the handwriting on the wall.
It would be one thing if the Texans drafted LSU cornerback Derek Stingley No. 3 overall in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft. Johnson could find utility as a safety in Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 scheme. After all, the club experimented with his 6-2, 213-pound frame on the backend. Why not make it official for job security?
When Houston picked Baylor safety Jalen Pitre No. 37 overall in Round 2, all of Johnson’s sand atop the hourglass had fallen to the bottom. Why have Johnson transition to a defensive back spot that he wasn’t really that good at anyway? Pitre forged his career around playing safety; Johnson was put there because the physical traits were there.
If Johnson is on the way out, his career is one that got lost in the shuffle of the Bill O’Brien era. Then-defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel played Johnson as a cornerback — exactly what he was in college. In 2020, then-defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver experimented with Johnson as a safety, and Smith fully converted him in 2020. Johnson did play some cornerback though when numbers were thin. Overall, such shuffling between cornerback and safety curtailed his development, and the Texans didn’t get good value out of a second-round pick’s career.
Lonnie Johnson asking for a release would be the latest of a buffet of strange things he has done since being here. Not really asking for it, but saying he did would be more on brand though. Should happen no matter what, don't want him around the young core. #WeAreTexans
The Tampa 2 scheme the Houston Texans deploy depends on physical and intelligent play from their defensive backs. @JohnHCrumpler breaks it down.
Last week, the Texans Wire started a series on the Tampa 2 defense. The hallmark scheme of new coach Lovie Smith is one that has become of the upmost importance of Houston Texans fans since the promotion of their defensive coordinator in February.
In a draft where the Texans have two first-round selections, understanding schematic fit and how that might play into the general manager Nick Caserio’s selection process is important. Part 1 took a look at the three-technique and one-technique defensive tackles in addition to the strong and weakside defensive ends were covered. Part 2 examined the three linebacker roles known as the Will, the Mike, and the Sam were expounded upon.
This final article will aim to cover the defensive backs, the favorite position group of this author. John Crumpler was joined once again by Sports’ Illustrated’s Jordan Pun. Below is the full interview on YouTube.
Cornerbacks are, at face value, the simplest position to understand in football. Their job is generally to mirror the wide receivers on their routes and force incompletions (passes defended). In zone coverage, they become responsible for any receiver, running back, or tight end who enters their zone. This all comes in addition to making tackles alongside the boundary of the field. Simple, right?
For the Tampa 2, corners are tasked with playing a majority of snaps in zone coverage. With less linebackers on the field to come after runs that make it past the edge, these cornerbacks have a greater responsibility to tackle. Between the advanced tackling responsibilities and the range needed to play in zone coverage, the scheme inherently favors larger corners.
Look for Houston to draft corners likely with some size. Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner at 6-2 and Florida’s Kaiir Elam are names that Texans fans will likely hear linked to the team frequently leading up to the draft. Meanwhile, corners like Roger McCreary, despite any excellence in inmeasurables and on the field, may be overlooked by the scheme requirements.
Finally, the Tampa 2 scheme employs two safeties. These are known respectively as the strong safety and the free safety.
The strong safety is colloquially called the “box safety.” When you see pundits mock the Seattle Seahawks for their acquisition of Jamal Adams, this is the position they’re referring to. Although not necessarily lesser in coverage, the strong safety is frequently tasked with playing “in the box” or alongside the linebackers to help with the run. They’re ferocious tacklers that need to be equally competent with their deep zone.
The best “box safety” in the class is considered Lewis Cine. Cine was certainly the enforcer on the backend of the Georgia Bulldog defense and involved often to help out against the run. He’s a realistic target at 37th overall in Round 2 if Houston doesn’t make a pick in the secondary during their first two selections. Baylor safety Jalen Pitre also fits this mold.
Meanwhile, the other safety is known as the “free safety.” This is generally the last line of defense, the guy who in Cover 1 is responsible for the deepest zone. They need to be incredibly rangy in coverage to cover sideline to sideline and have a great football IQ to read plays as they develop. This position was the one that cornerback Lonnie Johnson struggled to adjust to. Despite his physical gifts, Johnson often failed to read the play in time to sufficiently play the free safety spot.
The draft’s best talent, according to some, is free safety Kyle Hamilton. What makes Hamilton so elite is not only his ability to tackle or his versatility to contribute at the slot corner position, it’s his recognition of offensive concepts as they develop and knowing where the quarterback is trying to go. Hamilton’s eyes and head often put him in the right position to make huge plays and he’s more than athletic enough to execute. If Houston is comfortable taking the safety at third overall, it’s this insane football IQ that makes them feel this way.
Another target frequently linked to Houston is Illinois safety Kerby Joseph. Joseph took a majority of his college snaps from the free safety position and has a lot of familiarity with Lovie Smith from his time as the head coach there.
Compared to the linebackers and defensive lineman, the defensive back positions are relatively easy to understand. However, in today’s pass-heavy NFL, their importance cannot be understated if Houston wants to win football games next year. It’s the weakest position group on the roster and one that must be addressed.
The Houston Texans placed six players on the COVID-19 reserve, but were able to make roster moves to add more players.
The Houston Texans placed six players on the COVID-19 reserve Thursday.
Houston added guard-tackle Tytus Howard, defensive end Jordan Jenkins, center Justin Britt, safety Eric Murray, cornerback Lonnie Johnson, and defensive tackle Roy Lopez to the COVID-19 reserve.
The Texans were able to designate receiver Danny Amendola and defensive end DeMarcus Walker ready for return from injured reserve.
Houston also signed defensive lineman Chris Smith and defensive back Grayland Arnold from the practice squad to the active roster.
The Texans were able to restore running back Jaylen Samuels from the COVID-19 reserve back to the practice squad on Thursday.
Houston also signed kicker Dominik Eberle to the practice squad.
The Houston Texans released their second injury report of Week 12 as they gear up for the New York Jets, and DE Jonathan Greenard did not practice.
The Houston Texans released their second injury report of Week 12 Thursday as they prepare to face the New York Jets Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium in a battle of 2-8 teams.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard, who was limited on Wednesday with a foot injury, did not practice on Thanksgiving.
Receiver Davion Davis (illness) and quarterback Deshaun Watson (not injury related) saw no change from Wednesday and similarly did not practice.
Safety Lonnie Johnson (illness) was upgraded and was limited in practice.
Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (knee) and safety A.J. Moore (back) were also upgraded and were full participants.
For the Jets, receiver Corey Davis (groin) was downgraded to a non-participant after being a limited participant on Wednesday.
Houston Texans defensive coordinator Lovie Smith detailed why the team decided to move safety Lonnie Johnson back to cornerback.
The Houston Texans drafted Lonnie Johnson in the second round in 2019 with the intention of keeping him at cornerback.
At 6-2, 213 pounds, it would be a luxury to have a big-bodied cornerback to challenge larger receivers in the game. However, the Texans did what most teams do when they get a rangy defensive back and moved him to safety.
Defensive coordinator Lovie Smith explained to reporters on Nov. 18 why the team decided to abandon the safety experiment, which they had worked on all offseason, and move Johnson back to cornerback after nine games.
“I think when you come in, first off, you’re trying to get everybody in the right position,” said Smith. “Some guys have flexibility where they can play multiple positions, and you have to let them. You keep playing them, they’ll tell you where you should go.
“That’s the case with Lonnie. He did some good things back at the safety position, mainly intercepting the football, but it didn’t feel like that was his best position.”
Johnson generated 41 combined tackles, four pass breakups, and three interceptions through eight games, five of which he has started in 2021.
“There’s a lot of things, not one thing,” Smith said. “It’s a body of work. With everything we do, it’s a body of work. We’ve been (through) training camp, gone through games, practices, meetings, all of that.”
According to Smith, Johnson has done a decent job of handling the transition.
Said Smith: “There’s a process to everything we do that we feel like is fair. There’s video to kind of tell you what you should do with guys. Lonnie, he’s at the corner position, and we’re seeing marked improvement daily.”
The Texans take on the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at Nissan Stadium. Johnson could see his first action back at cornerback against the 8-2 club.
The Houston Texans are moving Lonnie Johnson back to cornerback after experimenting with the third-year defensive back at safety.
HOUSTON — When the Houston Texans played the Miami Dolphins during a Week 9 loss, Lonnie Johnson did not receive a single defensive snap. The only time Johnson saw the field at Hard Rock Stadium came by the way of special teams.
Since the Texans’ Week 6 loss against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson has experience a significant decrease in his snaps. And according to coach David Culley, the team has moved Johnson back to his original position — cornerback.
“We feel good about Lonnie being there and now he has to relearn that position again,” Culley said Wednesday morning. “He was more comfortable there. He wasn’t as comfortable playing safety because it wasn’t his natural position. In our scheme, it did not fit who Johnson was.”
Culley said he spoke to Johnson about the position change and said he will remain there for the rest of the season.
After the Texans selected Johnson during the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft (54th overall), the University of Kentucky prodigy began his career playing cornerback.
In an attempt to revamp their appalling defense last season, the Texans switched Johnson to safety where he thrived at the start of the 2021 campaign. In eight games played so far, Johnson had recorded a career-high three interceptions starting at safety.
With Johnson moving back to corner, Culley announced that Eric Murray will start at strong safety against the 8-2 Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
