Kansas City Chiefs get versatile defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. in trade with Texans
The 2022 NFL Draft is over, but the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t done adding to the roster.
They traded for Houston Texans defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr., the Chiefs announced Monday afternoon.
While the Chiefs didn’t reveal the details of the trade, the deal includes Kansas City sending a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to the Texans in exchange for Johnson, a source familiar with the situation told The Star.
Johnson, 26, originally entered the league in 2019 out of Kentucky as a second-round pick with the Texans. He has appeared in 44 games with 19 starts over the past three seasons, totaling 172 tackles, three interceptions and 13 passes defensed.
The 6-foot-2, 213-pound Johnson can play safety and cornerback, attributes that provide the Chiefs flexibility in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s pass-coverage scheme.
Johnson, who occasionally lined up at strong safety for the Texans, joins his former Houston teammate Justin Reid, whom the Chiefs signed to a three-year deal during free agency. The Chiefs also have Juan Thornhill, 2022 second-round pick Bryan Cook and 2022 seventh-round pick Nazeeh Johnson, among others, at the safety position.
Over the weekend, the Chiefs bolstered the defense group by using five of their 10 picks on defensive backs (three cornerbacks, two safeties). The Chiefs used a first-round pick on cornerback Trent McDuffie, a fourth-round pick on cornerback Joshua Williams and a seventh-round pick on cornerback Jaylen Watson. McDuffie projects to start alongside L’Jarius Sneed in the Chiefs’ 4-3 base defense.
This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 5:17 PM.
