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.
