The Miami Dolphins completely overhauled their roster in free agency. Willing to take on large amounts of dead cap, they moved on from their stars, opting to replace them with former high draft picks who haven't necessarily reached their potential and were willing to take cheap deals.
Of them, former second-round pick Lonnie Johnson Jr. is potentially the most under the radar. After being drafted in 2019, he spent his first three seasons as a hybrid cornerback/safety on the Houston Texans , playing over 500 defensive snaps in each season.
While the following three years saw minimal opportunity for Johnson, 2025 was a step in the right direction. He played 321 defensive snaps with the Las Vegas Raiders (his highest since 2021) and parlayed that into a contract in Miami.
Johnson, who has made the transition to safety over the last two years, described his career to the Miami media in a Zoom media session Tuesday as a "roller coaster." "I've played everywhere, outside nickel to safety. The more you can do in this league, the better it is for you."
That ability to adapt to chaos and play in different spots might be Johnson's key to success in Miami. Jeff Hafley, when speaking to the media April 7, said that he's "excited to really get to know him more. I think he has some versatility to him."
An important piece of the puzzle for Johnson is the room that he is entering. Miami's defensive back room might be the lightest on its roster. Their top three snap takers at safety are gone, along with their starting cornerbacks. There is a power vacuum at the top of the depth chart, and as the oldest DB on the roster, the 30-year-old has an experience advantage. Adding that to the ability to play both positions, and there is a clear path to playing time.
Another variable in Johnson's potential role is his special teams contribution. In five of his seven seasons, Johnson has played at least 125 snaps in the kicking game, including a career high of 339 in 2024. Carving out a role for new Dolphins special teams coordinator Chris Tabor would all but guarantee him a spot on this roster, with opportunities to showcase open-field skills that could translate to defensive reps.
Overall, Johnson is one of the more intriguing pieces on this roster, mainly because he doesn't fit the mold of some of the other signings. Unlike Jalen Tolbert , Tutu Atwell or Josh Uche , he's an older player who, in all likelihood, has passed his prime. However, it's rather interesting that the team's fourth-oldest player was one added to Hafley's secondary.
It's been made very clear from Hafley's time in Green Bay that his scheme relies heavily on trust in his back end. His pressure packages put a lot of strain on players to be in the right place, and while Miami will likely draft multiple defensive backs, having a veteran with experience in different positions and systems could be a key to early success.
This is where Johnson could come in.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/onsi as Why Lonnie Johnson Jr. Might Make a Bigger Impact Than Most Offseason Additions .
