One month ago, Nazeeh Johnson had a premonition. ""I think [the Kansas City Chiefs] are going to bring me back," he said in an interview with a Virginia-based newspaper. Now that the team has suffered so many losses in the secondary to start the offseason, it makes even more sense for Johnson to feel that way.
The Chiefs have watched several of their prized class of 2022 walk away in free agency or dealt in a blockbuster trade, leaving the secondary looking perilously thin. That's why Johnson makes sense as a re-signing in free agency that at least provides experience, versatility, and a known quantity who can be a part of the competitive mix going forward.
Already the Chiefs have traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams, a team that also found a way to sign Jaylen Watson to a three-year contract in free agency. Safety Bryan Cook is now with the Cincinnati Bengals, while corner Joshua Williams departed for the Tennessee Titans. That leaves Johnson as the only one of five defensive backs drafted in '22 available to even return to Kansas City.
Nazeeh Johnson thinks K.C. will bring him back and he has every reason to believe it.
"I can test the market and see how much I'm valued, but the Chiefs know what I can do. We can't have communication right now because of the [free agency rules], but I have a good understanding with them. They know my talent level," said Johnson in the interview with The Winchester Star.
"Now it's just seeing how other teams value me. Do other teams see me as a safety, do they see me as a corner, a nickel[back]. But the thing I can rest my hat on is that I'm a special teams person. I can make plays on special teams, and I'm also someone that can play defensive snaps."
Johnson joined the Chiefs as a seventh-round choice out of Marshall. While preseason glimpses were promising, injuries always robbed him of the opportunity to earn more playing time. However, when others were hurt, Johnson took advantage during the 2024 season to play in 16 games and even start 6 of them. He finished the season with 56 tackles, 3 pass deflections, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.
During the '24 season, the Chiefs largely leaned on Johnson for reps outside as a corner, but he's lined up in the box a fair amount as well. K.C. has projected him for versatile roles in the past, and any team, Chiefs included, could bring him back with a vision for special teams impact with some positional flexibility on defense.
Any contract extended to Johnson would likely be a veteran minimum deal, but given the familiarity and the situation at present in the secondary, it would make sense for general manager Brett Veach to offer Johnson a deal to return for one more run. Perhaps Johnson can stay healthy and help raise the floor at a position with a lot of variables.