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Lonnie Johnson

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/15/22

December 15th, 2022 at 7:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves:

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

 

Igwebuike is being elevated for the second time this season. Starting rookie running back Kenneth Walker has returned to the lineup but running back and return man DeeJay Dallas missed a second straight week of practice, meaning Igwebuike will likely have return duties while backing up Walker and Travis Homer.

Smith will be undergoing surgery for a nagging bone spur, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic. The surgery will necessitate a recovery period of about four months, so Smith’s 2022 campaign has come to an end.

Parks re-signed with the Jets this offseason after being claimed by the team last December and starting two games. Despite starting another game this season, Parks has spent most of time on special teams in 11 games this year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/22

November 17th, 2022 at 5:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Tennessee Titans

Both roster additions were made in anticipation of tonight’s game between the Packers and Titans. Board has got into one game for the Titans this season, returning four punts. Hamilton has seen time in two games this season after getting into six contests for Green Bay in 2021.

Johnson suffered a hamstring injury during Tennessee’s Week 10 win against the Packers. The 27-year-old has appeared in eight games this season, collecting five tackles.

Titans Claim DB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

August 16th, 2022 at 9:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Titans claimed a player off waivers and acquired a player via trade today. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), the Titans have claimed defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. off waivers from the Chiefs. Meanwhile, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports (on Twitter) that the Titans have acquired safety Tyree Gillespie from the Raiders.

The Chiefs traded a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick to acquire Johnson back in May, but they ended up dumping the defensive back yesterday (while also, presumably, retaining their draft pick). The former second-round pick had spent the first three seasons of his career in Houston, but he found himself in and out of the starting lineup. He started only 19 of his 44 games during his time with the Texans, collecting 172 tackles.

This past season, Johnson started seven of his 14 games while collecting 55 tackles and three interceptions. While he played mostly cornerback to begin his career, Pro Football Focus graded him as a safety in 2021…and they graded him as the worst player at the position. However, he did show some promise in his rush defense score.

Meanwhile, Gillespie was acquired from Las Vegas for a late-round conditional draft pick, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The safety was selected in the fourth round of last year’s draft but barely saw the field as a rookie. He ended up getting into 11 games, collecting eight tackles while primarily appearing on special teams.

The Titans weren’t finished making moves today. As they trimmed their roster down to the 85-man limit, the Titans waived receiver Josh Malone, running back Jordan Wilkins, defensive back Deante Burton, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett, offensive lineman Carson Green, and defensive back Elijah Benton.

Chiefs Waive CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

August 15th, 2022 at 10:04am CST by Adam La Rose

Lonnie Johnson Jr. had a brief tenure with the Texans, and his stint with the Chiefs has now ended before his first regular season contest in Kansas City. Per a team announcement, the corner is among the players being waived by the Chiefs as rosters are cut to 85. 

Johnson, 26, was a second-round pick of the Texans in 2019. He struggled as a rookie, surrendering four touchdowns and a passer rating over 111 in coverage. Despite starting fewer games (five) in his second season with the team, he logged a higher snap percentage. The 2020 season saw improvement in terms of coverage, and his highest career PFF grade, 65.5.

His playing time dropped again last season, though. The Kentucky alum recorded the first three interceptions of his NFL career, but was unable to secure a full-time starting spot and was again rated very poorly by PFF. This offseason, Houston traded him to Kansas City for a conditional seventh-round pick, a disappointing end to his time there.

The CB room has seen plenty of changes this spring for the Chiefs. The team used three draft picks on the position, including No. 21 on Trent McDuffie. They parted ways with Deandre Baker last week, another young corner who has struggled to find his footing in the NFL. That move, coupled with today’s, speaks to the Chiefs’ commitment to their homegrown players on the backend.

In addition to Johnson, Kansas City is waiving receivers Omar Bayless and Gary Jennings, along with offensive tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk. They will now look to find a new NFL home as rosters continue to be trimmed in the build-up to the season.

Texans Trade CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. To Chiefs

May 2nd, 2022 at 4:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Lonnie Johnson Jr.‘s stint in Houston has come to an end. According to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter), the Texans have traded the cornerback to the Chiefs. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Texans will receive a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick.

Johnson was a 2019 second-round pick by the Texans, but he failed to establish himself as a starter during his three years in Houston. The defensive back ultimately saw time in 44 games (19 starts) for the Texans, collecting 172 tackles. He seemed to take a step forward in 2021, as the 26-year-old finished with 55 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes defended.

The Texans weren’t done making moves today. Per Kyed (on Twitter), the Texans signed defensive Rasheem Green and waived/injured running back Scottie Phillips. Green, a 2018 fourth-round pick, spent his first four professional seasons with the Seahawks, including a 2021 campaign where he finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks in 17 games (16 starts). Phillips spent two years in Houston, collecting 38 yards from scrimmage.

The Texans have also added defensive end Mario Addison, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston (on Twitter). Addison is inking a two-year deal, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). Following a long stint with the Panthers that saw him collect 55 sacks in 111 games, Addison spent the past two seasons with the Bills, where he added another 12 sacks in 32 games. The lineman played under current Texans defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire in Buffalo.

Finally, the Texans picked up the fifth-year option on offensive lineman Tytus Howard (per Rapoport on Twitter). Howard has started all 37 of his appearances in the NFL, but he’s missed 12 total games through his first three seasons. Howard has shown plenty of versatility during his NFL career, spending time at both tackle and guard.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/4/22-1/5/22

January 5th, 2022 at 11:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Tuesday and Wednesday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jared Cook, LB Damon Lloyd (remains on IR)

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/23/21

December 23rd, 2021 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

AFC Rumors: Bates, Sutton, Dolphins, Texans

November 18th, 2021 at 11:23am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bengals and Jessie Bates did not agree on an extension ahead of his contract year, and the veteran defender expressed frustration a deal did not commence. Bates previously hoped he would land a contract that kept him in Cincinnati long-term. With his future up in the air, the former second-round pick admitted he let his contract talks cloud his on-field performance to start the season.

“So caught on to proving the wrong people right and the main thing I should be focusing on is proving the right people right as far as my coaches, my teammates, my family and not worry about all of the other stuff,” Bates said, via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I know that’s going to work out; I know what type of player I am; that stuff’s going to work out regardless.”

Pro Football Focus ranked Bates as its No. 1 safety in 2020; through nine games this season, the Wake Forest product slots in at No. 75 at the position. He has allowed a 79% completion rate when targeted — well north of the 54% mark of last season. While Bates should still be expected to generate considerable interest in free agency, should no extension agreement or franchise tag come to pass before that point, this season’s second half suddenly becomes pivotal for his long-term prospects.

Here is the latest from the AFC:

  • Courtland Sutton joined Bates as a 2018 second-rounder, and the ex-SMU standout also joins him in being uncertain about his long-term status with his NFL team. Sutton has played in all 10 Broncos games this season, after tearing an ACL last September. The 6-foot-4 target is on pace for his second 1,000-yard season, but his production has been somewhat inconsistent — particularly in games when Jerry Jeudy has been active. The Broncos also have Tim Patrick going through a quality contract year, creating a decision. The franchise tag may be in play for Sutton in March, Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post writes. This year’s tag figure came in at nearly $16MM for wideouts, during the pandemic-affected offseason. New GM George Paton called Sutton one of the team’s core players this offseason. The Broncos have used the tag frequently and have a long track record in extending those players — though, Justin Simmons played on the tag in 2020 before his re-up earlier this year.
  • After trying Lonnie Johnson at safety over the past two seasons, the Texans are changing the young defender’s position again. They are moving Johnson back to cornerback, David Culley said (via Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson). Houston drafted Johnson in the 2019 second round as a corner but tried him at safety over the past two seasons. The pivot resulted in Johnson being benched at that spot. The Texans also shopped Johnson ahead of the deadline. The team has vets Desmond King and Terrance Mitchell stationed as its outside starters, but in a rebuilding year, Johnson — who entered the draft with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash time despite a 213-pound frame — figures to see an opportunity to rebound at the position.
  • The Dolphins have shuffled their offensive line on a few occasions this year, tinkering with just about every starter’s role. The highest-profile move came recently, when the team moved 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson from left tackle to left guard. While that could be a temporary fix, Brian Flores said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) the team likes the USC product at guard. Second-round rookie Liam Eichenberg is currently Miami’s left tackle.

Texans Shopping Jordan Akins, Phillip Lindsay

November 2nd, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

Deshaun Watson isn’t the only Texans player that could be on the move. Tight end Jordan Akins, running back Phillip Lindsay, safety Lonnie Johnson, and linebacker Zach Cunningham are all expected to be available between now and the trade deadline (Twitter link via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com). 

[RELATED: Latest On Potential Deshaun Watson Trade]

The Texans already shipped out one of their veteran running backs, trading Mark Ingram to the Saints last week for a seventh-round pick. Apparently, that deal didn’t solidify Lindsay’s status in Houston.

Through eight games, Lindsay has 41 carries for 105 yards and four rushing touchdowns, plus three grabs for 37 yards and one receiving TD. He’s been far less efficient than usual, though that can’t be pinned squarely on his shoulders given the Texans’ myriad of issues. In his first three years with the Broncos, Lindsay averaged 4.8 yards per tote with quality pass-catching in 2018 and 2019.

Akins, a former third-round pick, is in his walk year. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2019 with 36 grabs for 418 yards and followed that up with 37/403/1 in 2020. He’s roughly on pace for the same type of year with 19 catches and 177 yards at the midway point. Now, he might be on the verge of spending the second half with a contender.

Texans Shopping Shaq Lawson, Lonnie Johnson

August 27th, 2021 at 4:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Texans pass rusher Shaq Lawson and defensive back Lonnie Johnson are being “heavily discussed in league circles as trade candidates,” according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). Both players have started in the past, but neither is currently projected to be first-string for the Texans.

Lawson came to Houston earlier this year in the deal that sent inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney to Miami. He turned in a solid, if unspectacular, 2020 campaign with the Dolphins. Previous to that, Lawson recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks for the Bills in 2019. For his career, Sack-a-Shaq has 20.5 sacks across five pro seasons. For now, the Texans have him under club control for another two seasons, thanks to the three-year, $30MM he inked with the ‘Fins last spring.

The Texans selected Johnson, a Kentucky product, in the second round of the 2019 draft. He’s got all the physical tools one could want in a corner or a safety. At 6-2, 213 pounds, he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the Combine. He’s shown flashes of potential with the Texans over the last two years, but he hasn’t quite put it all together yet as a pro.

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