Chiefs Trade For Lonnie Johnson Jr: Initial Reactions
Even after the draft, the Kansas City Chiefs have continued to bolster the defensive back room with a recent trade. The Chiefs have traded with the Houston Texans for Lonnie Johnson Jr for a conditional 2024 seventh-round draft pick. Johnson is a three-year veteran, spending his whole career with the Texans:
We have acquired CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. via trade. Welcome to KC, @Lonnie30johnson‼️ pic.twitter.com/0QLFPlJMJX — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 2, 2022
Lonnie Johnson Jr has played in 44 games in his career, starting in 19 of them. He has tallied 172 total tackles, one tackle for a loss, three QB hits, three interceptions (all in 2021), and 13 pass defends. Here are my initial reactions to the breaking news:
Lonnie Johnson Jr Could Provide Solid Depth
Standing at 6’2″, Johnson provides good length at the position. Furthermore, he adds solid depth at the cornerback spot for the Chiefs as they didn’t have a true fourth cornerback after the draft. Trent McDuffie, Rashad Fenton, and L’Jarius Sneed will look to be the Chiefs’ main three CBs, so a backup role would be well-suited for Johnson, who had a down year in 2021.
Bouncebacks could always happen, and the Chiefs are hoping for that with this low-risk trade. If Johnson has a solid/good season, it will be worth the conditional seventh-rounder.
The Stats Are (Somewhat) Not In Johnson’s Favor
When looking at the stats, Johnson could’ve been better in 2021. For starters, PFF graded him at a 31.7 overall in 2021; that’s a number you never want to see on a player coming to your favorite team. In terms of his coverage stats, Johnson had a below-average year in 2021; on 38 targets, Johnson allowed 22 completions for 380 yards and two touchdowns, averaging over 17 yards per completion. He also allowed a 76.6 QB rating through the season. This was with Johnson playing in 57% of the Texans’ defensive snaps (541).
Now, the Texans’ defense was among the worst last season, with no proper strategy shown. This hurt everyone on the defensive side, so some blame goes to the coaching staff. Lonnie Johnson Jr. could improve within this Chiefs’ defense, which has been significantly better than the Texans’ defense. We, as fans, can only wait and see.
What are your thoughts on the Chiefs trading for Lonnie Johnson Jr? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion.
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