Tag: Johnson

Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson answers questions at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix during the NFL's Super Bowl Opening Night on Feb. 6, 2023. Nfl Super Bowl Opening Night At Footprint Center

Reports: Eagles sign RT Lane Johnson to $33.4M extension

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson signed a one-year contract extension worth $33.4 million, of which $30 million is guaranteed, per multiple reports Friday.

The extension stretches Johnson’s contract by one year through the 2026 season and brings the Eagles’ total potential financial commitment remaining to him to $80.75 million over four seasons.

The deal comes after Johnson, 32, delayed surgery and played in the postseason despite a torn abdominal tendon. As head coach Nick Sirianni phrased it, Johnson continued to play like the “best tackle on the planet.”

“He’s a warrior,” quarterback Jalen Hurts said of Johnson. “He’s a true warrior and a very important piece of this team. He’s been doing great things for a very long time, and I’m very grateful to have him. We’re grateful to have him and I’m happy that he’s kind of coming out of this thing clean.”

Though Johnson missed two games before returning to face the New York Giants in the postseason in January, nobody was questioning his toughness.

“It’s kind of how I was raised,” Johnson said before Super Bowl LVII. “My dad was a bull rider back in the day, so guys had torn groins, collapsed lungs. That was kind of their culture, so I grew up around that kind of stuff.”

Johnson has been vulnerable and transparent about football-related anxiety and briefly stepped away from the team in 2021. But Johnson said in February he was very much committed to playing in Philadelphia as center Jason Kelce weighed the decision to play a 13th season in 2023.

Johnson has started 127 career games with the Eagles since being selected as the No. 4 pick in the 2013 draft. He is a four-time Pro Bowl and two-time first-team All-Pro selection. He has not allowed a sack since Week 11 of 2020.

–Field Level Media

Oct 30, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans tight end O.J. Howard (83) runs with the ball as Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Teair Tart (93) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders sign TE O.J. Howard, DL Jordan Willis

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The Las Vegas Raiders announced deals Monday with tight end O.J. Howard and defensive lineman Jordan Willis.

The team also reached an agreement with safety Jaquan Johnson, according to multiple reports.

Howard ostensibly becomes the heir apparent to Darren Waller, whom the Raiders traded to the New York Giants earlier this month.

Howard, 28, a former first-round draft pick, caught 10 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games (10 starts) for the Houston Texans in 2022.

He has 129 catches and 1,882 yards receiving to go with 17 TDs in 72 career games (56 starts) with the Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017-21), who selected him No. 19 overall in the 2017 draft.

Willis, 27, was a third-round pick by Cincinnati in 2017 and has 92 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 69 games (two starts) for the Bengals (2017-18), New York Jets (2019-20) and San Francisco 49ers (2020-22).

Johnson, 27, was picked in the sixth round by Buffalo in 2019. He registered 58 tackles and two interceptions in 60 games (four starts) over four seasons with the Bills.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward (83) makes a catch against Cleveland Browns cornerback A.J. Green (rear) and safety John Johnson III (43) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Browns to release S John Johnson III

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Browns safety John Johnson III will be released by Cleveland before the final year of his three-year contract, per reports.

Johnson signed a $33.75 million deal with the Browns in 2021 and had 162 tackles with four interceptions in his first two seasons in Cleveland.

His base salary was scheduled to more than double from 2022 to ’23, from $4 million to $8.75 million.

The 27-year-old was a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and had two of his three career 100-tackle seasons with his original NFL team.

The Browns anticipate a shift in personnel to accommodate the style of play preferred by new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

Johnson started all 17 games last season with 101 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception.

–Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts takes a picture on stage at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix during the NFL's Super Bowl Opening Night on Feb. 6, 2023. Nfl Super Bowl Opening Night At Footprint Center

Eagles promote QB coach Brian Johnson to offensive coordinator

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Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator, replacing new Colts head coach Shane Steichen.

Philadelphia lost offensive coordinator Steichen to Indianapolis and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon left to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

Johnson has known Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for two decades. Hurts was a 4-year-old ballboy at Baytown Lee High School in Texas when Johnson played quarterback and Hurts’ father, Averion, was a coach.

Johnson, a quarterback at Utah, will assume play-calling duties under head coach Nick Sirianni. The Eagles have not named a replacement for Gannon, who also took linebackers coach Nick Rallis as his defensive coordinator in Arizona.

Johnson, 36, spent two years as quarterbacks coach of the Eagles. He previous coached in the college ranks at Florida, Houston, Mississippi State and Utah. As quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State, Johnson led the recruiting efforts of Channelview High School (Texas) quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hurts and Sirianni credited Johnson for much of the team’s offensive success in 2022.

Sirianni said Johnson was “huge” in Hurts’ development but also influential in his articulation of the offense and scheme to players at other positions.

“Brian is also very gifted in the sense of helping be able to scheme, even though he wasn’t the offensive coordinator last year, he still helps a great deal with our schemes and the way we’re attacking defenses in the run game, in the pass game, in the protection world, in situationals,” Sirianni said. “He’s been a great influence, obviously, for Jalen. And Jalen’s done a nice job, obviously. But it’s a good relationship of those two guys because I do believe that’s helped Jalen become a better player.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) hands off to running back Christian McCaffrey (23) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Purdy to undergo MRI on elbow, ‘sad’ for 49ers veterans

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will undergo an MRI on his injured throwing elbow Monday after the team’s season ended with Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Purdy’s right elbow was injured in the first quarter on a blow from Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick. He later had to re-enter the game after backup Josh Johnson sustained a concussion.

Purdy only attempted two short passes after returning. He later told reporters his arm felt “shocks all over from my elbow down to my wrist” and “just pain” when he threw, limiting him to nothing more than 5-yard throws.

“I’m just so sad for the older guys, Fred (Warner), Trent (Williams), George (Kittle), Arik Armstead, everyone,” the rookie quarterback said postgame. “All the guys that have been through this.

“They’ve obviously been in the Super Bowl in ‘19 and then last year in the NFC Championship and then for this to happen, in the first drive, really, of ‘Man, like this is the kind of game we have to play after the first drive,’ I’m just frustrated. But more sad for those guys than anything, because they deserve to go, to win, to win the whole thing.”

Johnson — the 49ers’ fourth quarterback this season following injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo and Purdy — was 7-of-13 passing before his head hit the turf from a hit by Ndamukong Suh of the Eagles.

“Guys were up for the challenge,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of Johnson entering the game. “I thought our defense was playing real well. We felt Josh was going to go in there and execute our plan and give us a chance.”

–Field Level Media

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches open practice at Family Fest at Ford Field on Saturday, August 6, 2022.

Loyalty from OC Ben Johnson to net raise from Lions

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Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is back with the Lions, and there is a reported reward after the popular candidate for head-coaching openings decided to return to Detroit.

NFL Network reported Thursday that Johnson will be welcomed back with an enhanced contract and a large raise for spurning overtures from other teams.

Johnson had virtual interviews to become head coach with three teams, and was scheduled for a second, in-person interview on Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers.

But Johnson opted to instead return to the Lions in 2023, which will be his second season as OC. The 36-year-old was promoted to the play-calling role after the 2021 season, replacing Anthony Lynn.

Quarterback Jared Goff delivered a stellar season and credited Johnson, but joked he’d stop relaying how good he was in order to keep him around.

“He’s been as instrumental as any coach I’ve ever had,” Goff said. “Our communication is as good as I’ve ever been a part of, and he does a great job with not just me, but everybody. … But if he does end up (leaving for a head-coaching job), I’ll be thrilled for him. He’s a hell of a coach, and that’s why you get in this profession, is to do that.”

The Lions ranked fifth in scoring and fourth in total offense this past season. Detroit had 4,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in the same season for the first time in team history.

The overwhelming momentum from the Lions’ turnaround has influenced players as much as coaches.

General manager Brad Holmes said players with opportunities to exit in free agency have almost universally voiced their preference to stick around, too.

“I don’t ignore the reality of there’s other elements of that business that we’re going to have to deal with, but it was cool to hear because those guys believe in what we’re doing and they believe it’s the right way,” Holmes said. “They like how they’re treated, they can be themselves, and it was just cool to hear that they think that we’re doing it the right way.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker DJ Johnson (2) pushes Oregon State Beavers running back Jam Griffin (8) out of bounds during the first half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Oregon LB DJ Johnson enters NFL draft

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Oregon linebacker DJ Johnson announced Thursday that he is opting out of the Holiday Bowl and declaring for the NFL draft.

Johnson led the Ducks with six sacks this season and ranks second on the squad with 8.5 tackles for loss.

“Thank you to Oregon and everyone who’s helped me get to where I am today,” Johnson said on Twitter. “I’ll be entering my name into the NFL Draft. Truly Blessed for the opportunities coming.”

Johnson began his college career at Miami in 2017 before transferring to Oregon the following season. He also was a tight end earlier in his career and caught 10 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns in 2020.

He was a full-time defensive player this season and also played on that side of the ball in 2019. In 2021, he received 152 snaps as a linebacker and 98 as a tight end.

Johnson had nine total sacks and 11 receptions for the Ducks.

Oregon (9-3) will face North Carolina (9-4) in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego.

–Field Level Media

Sep 18, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) tries to break a tackle by Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith (58) in the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Bears LB Roquan Smith (hip) questionable vs. Texans

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Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is listed as questionable with a hip injury for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texas.

Smith missed practice all week and coach Matt Eberflus is hopeful the fifth-year-pro will play against the Texans.

Smith, 25, has 20 tackles in two games this season. He topped 100 in each of his first four NFL campaigns, including a career-best 163 last season.

Solid cornerback Jaylon Johnson (quadriceps) also is questionable, while receiver Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring) is doubtful.

Chicago has ruled out linebacker Matthew Adams (hamstring), defensive back Dane Cruikshank (hamstring) and tight end Ryan Griffin (Achilles).

–Field Level Media

New York Jets kicker Eddy Pineiro (15) celebrates after kicking a field goal against the Miami Dolphins during NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium Sunday in Miami Gardens. Pineior kicked for the University of Florida. New York Jet V Miami Dolphins 15

Reports: Panthers to audition K Eddy Pineiro

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The Carolina Panthers are bringing in veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro for a visit, multiple outlets reported Sunday.

Other reports said the team will also audition Brian Johnson now that fellow kicker Zane Gonzalez is sidelined with a groin injury.

Both Pineiro and Johnson worked with Panthers special teams coordinator Chris Tabor when Tabor held the same role with the Chicago Bears.

Gonzalez, 27, was hurt while kicking on the sidelines in the third quarter of Friday’s 21-0 preseason win against Buffalo. Coach Matt Rhule said it was a “significant” injury that requires a “long-term” recovery period.

Pineiro, 26, was cut by the New York Jets this week after losing a competition with Greg Zuerlein. He has made 31 of 36 field goals and 36 of 39 extra points in 21 games with the Bears (2019) and Jets (2021).

Johnson, 23, spent time on Chicago’s practice squad in 2021. He converted all 10 field-goal attempts and nine of 13 PATs in seven games last season with New Orleans and Washington.

–Field Level Media

Aug 14, 2021; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson (91) celebrates after a fumble recovery against the Green Bay Packers during a preseason football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Wm Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via USA TODAY NETWORK

Saints cut DT Jaleel Johnson, sign QB K.J. Costello

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The New Orleans Saints released defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson and signed quarterback K.J. Costello, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Johnson, 28, was a fourth-round pick by Minnesota in 2017 and has 110 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 65 games (20 starts) with the Vikings (2017-20) and Houston Texans (2021).

Costello, 25, was undrafted out of Mississippi State in 2021. He went to training camp last season with the Los Angeles Chargers and spent time earlier this year with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars.

With starter Jameis Winston sidelined by a foot injury, Costello’s signing adds depth ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener at Houston.

–Field Level Media