The Detroit Lions are actively exploring options at safety following the season-ending torn Achilles injury to Brian Branch, and a familiar name has surfaced as a potential solution.
Detroit recently hosted former Los Angeles Rams safety John Johnson for a visit, signaling the team’s interest in adding veteran depth to the secondary.
Johnson is not a random target. Lions general manager Brad Holmes was a key supporter of drafting Johnson during his time with the Rams. In fact, Holmes played a major role in the Rams selecting Johnson in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. At the time, Rams general manager Les Snead praised Holmes’ belief in Johnson’s talent, emphasizing that Holmes pushed the organization to prioritize best player available over positional need.
John Johnson went on to build a strong NFL résumé. As a rookie, he started 11 games and recorded 75 tackles, 11 passes defended, and one interception. Over the next three seasons, he became a full-time starter, appearing in 37 more games before earning a three-year, $33.75 million contract with the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
The Lions previously attempted to sign Johnson in Holmes’ first season with Detroit but were outbid by Cleveland.
After two seasons with the Browns, Johnson returned to the Rams in a reserve role. Over his career, he has played 105 games, started 89, and totaled 562 tackles, 48 passes defended, and 15 interceptions.
However, there are questions surrounding Johnson’s availability. He suffered a hairline fracture to his scapula in 2024 and saw only four defensive snaps in the Rams’ Wild Card playoff game. He has remained unsigned since and is also facing a three-game suspension in the 2025 season for undisclosed reasons.
Detroit has already made another move, signing free agent safety Damontae Kazee to the practice squad. Head coach Dan Campbell spoke positively about current in-house options, including Avonte Maddox, Daniel Thomas, and Erick Hallett, while monitoring Kerby Joseph’s knee injury.
While Kazee may currently be the preferred option, the door remains open for Johnson due to Holmes’ long-standing belief in his talent.
The Lions continue to evaluate all options as they look to stabilize the safety position during their playoff push.
