Dorian Johnson would make an interesting addition for Chiefs practice squad

The Houston Texans recently release guard Dorian Johnson from their practice squad, a player who could be an interesting late-season grab for the Chiefs.

Normally a list of minor transactions of another team comes and goes in the Twitter feed without much of a thought. Today, however, a familiar name came up as a player released by the Houston Texans, who apparently as a team had decided that rookie guard Dorian Johnson was not worth keeping around on the practice squad for some reason.

Immediately I was intrigued.

Heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, I was hopeful for another young lineman to join the Chiefs rookie class. I think every class should be represented with some rookie as a team cycles through so many players along the line. I think it’s important for an injection of youth to be a part of the annual churning of the roster, so to speak, and this year, the Chiefs decided to go into training camp with only undrafted rookies given the way the actual draft played out. I’m largely fine with that, considering I have trust in what John Dorsey and his staff were trying to do. (Not that it matters to anyone at all how I feel about Chiefs transactions.)

But today I saw Dorian Johnson’s name come across the transactions list and I couldn’t quite believe it. I thought I’d missed a headline about an injury, or that I must have missed perhaps a team fight. Here was the official announcement I saw.

More from Arrowhead Addict

• Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
• Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
• Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
• Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
• KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator

If you were a draftnik six months ago, then you’ll likely recognize the name of Dorian Johnson as one of the more celebrated interior offensive linemen coming out in this year’s draft class. Remember this was a loaded draft, so the fact that Johnson was a fourth round pick this year by the Arizona Cardinals would likely nearly a full round higher in other years.

Johnson was a three-year starter at Pitt, creating room for the likes of James Conner and pass blocking for Nathan Peterman, two other rookies whose names you might recognize. The Cardinals took him in the fourth round and then decided to stash him on the practice squad. Two months later, the Texans signed him away and then waived him and put him on their own practice squad. Now, however, Johnson is a free agent rookie guard just waiting to be signed.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller had Dorian Johnson as a second-round pick in this draft, comparing him to Jeff Allen and praising his size, experience, power and agility. His NFL.com draft profile by Lance Zierlein also had him projected as a pick in Rounds 2 or 3 and praised the former All-American as a future “ten-year starter” in the league.

Earlier this month, the Chiefs lost Damien Mama to the New York Giants, but an addition like Johnson to the team’s practice squad (or as a reserve/futures contract signee) could be a good add to the future mix along the team’s interior line.