IRVINE, Calif. — Nobody in the Los Angeles Rams organization is really known for their poker face.
They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran safety John Johnson III on Monday, pending a physical, two team sources confirmed to The Athletic. Johnson, a Rams third-round pick in 2017 and starter from 2017 to 2020, paid a very public visit to the team’s training camp Sunday afternoon.
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Johnson was in clear view of about 8,000 fans who attended camp on Sunday — many of whom recognized and remembered him fondly — as he chatted with general manager Les Snead, team vice president Tony Pastoors and Sean McVay’s father, Tim, among others. Johnson also signed autographs for fans after practice ended.
Johnson, 27, is one of three players on the current roster who has experience calling the Rams defense (Ernest Jones, Jordan Fuller) and did so in 2020 when he started alongside then-rookie Fuller. He departed in free agency for Cleveland after the 2020 season, but was released this spring — just two years into the three-year deal he had signed with the Browns.
Veteran safeties Nick Scott and Taylor Rapp both departed the Rams in free agency this spring. Fuller is poised to start in one of the two open spots, but the game experience between him and the Rams’ younger safeties is significant even though second-year players Quentin Lake and Russ Yeast have flashed potential throughout camp. Johnson, who has started 80 of 86 career games, could help close that gap a little.
(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
