What does Lonnie Johnson bring to the KC Chiefs secondary?

What will Lonnie Johnson bring to the Kansas City Chiefs secondary in 2022?

One of the top priorities of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2022 offseason was to round out its secondary. With Charvarius Ward, Tyrann Mathieu, and Daniel Sorensen each walking in free agency, the Chiefs were tasked with replacing their snap shares and faced the challenge of improving upon a group that was average at best in 2021.

The most notable additions to the Chiefs’ secondary came in the form of a veteran signing—safety Justin Reid, formerly of the Houston Texans—and a first-round draft pick—corner Trent McDuffie, formerly of the University of Washington. While there were a couple of other draft selections made to fill out the ‘22 rookie class of cornerbacks and safeties, the greatest value added to the secondary possibly came in the form of a trade on May 2.

The Chiefs traded a 2024 7th-round pick to the Houston Texans for Lonnie Johnson. With all of the excitement surrounding the team’s decision to draft a first-round cornerback for the first time since Marcus Peters in 2015, the Lonnie Johnson news flew under the radar for many. Just days after the draft, the Chiefs sent a minimal investment to the Texans in return for a player who would make all 32 NFL teams’ 53-man roster come Week 1.

Another impressive nod to the Brett Veach school of economics.

In 2021, Johnson’s third year in the league, he had a career-high 3 interceptions and tied his record for games started in a season (7). Heading into the final year of his rookie deal, the momentum he will carry into Kansas City in the upcoming season brings with it a cost of just $1.2 million dollars. The former second-round pick (59th overall) will be the 100th highest-paid cornerback in football this season, and while he will be the second-highest-paid cornerback on the roster—second only to Trent McDuffie—picking up the tail end of Johnson’s first professional contract was an absolute steal for the Chiefs.

Trading for Lonnie Johnson matches perfectly the M.O. of the Chiefs’ front office this offseason: getting younger and more affordable. We will have to wait until training camp and the preseason conclude to see what his role will be, but he is certain to make an impact. Competing with Rashaad Fenton for the title of CB3 in Kansas City will be the first step, but at the very least, the Chiefs secured an outstanding depth piece in the secondary.