One of the reasons Liam Coen had as much success as he did in his first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars was that he was able to get the most out of players who had previously underperformed. The first that comes to mind is Trevor Lawrence. Under Coen, the first overall pick in 2021 managed to play like a top-10 quarterback to end the season. Then again, he was far from the first one. On defense, safety Antonio Johnson enjoyed a massive surge.
With Anthony Campanile calling the shots on defense, Johnson had a breakout year, registering a team-best five interceptions. Yet, he isn't getting as much recognition as he deserves. This has led a local voice to ask why.
Antonio Johnson isn't getting much love as other Jaguars safeties
Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida-Times Union recently drew up a list of 15 offseason questions for the Jaguars. He asks why Antonio Johnson isn't generating nearly as much hype despite the fact that he's coming off a banner season. Here's the skinny.
"This is a head-scratcher. Johnson tied for the team lead with five interceptions last year and was second among the Jaguars' safeties with 700 snaps," O'Halloran wrote. "But there is all this chatter about second-year player Caleb Ransaw, who played 700 fewer snaps than Johnson did last night. Ransaw sustained a foot injury in training camp and was placed on injured reserve. He is a classic case of a player's legend growing while he's not on the field. How else to explain it?"
Make no mistake, Caleb Ransaw was turning heads last year and was making a strong bid to start next to Eric Murray before suffering a leg injury in training camp that prematurely cut his rookie season short.
With Ransaw out of the mix, Andrew Wingard, who is now with the Arizona Cardinals, got the nod. It's also worth noting that at that point of the year, Johnson was in the mix for the starting job but didn't ultimately do enough to earn consideration. That changed throughout the regular season.
When the injury bug struck, Johnson was pressed into action. He quickly proved that he deserved more playing time. By the end of the year, the former Texas A&M had moved ahead of Dewey on the depth chart. If that wasn't enough, he was Pro Football Focus' highest-ranked safety (min. 100 snaps).
Now, Johnson is entering a contract season, and it would be odd not to see him once again play at a high level. After all, he's not a one-year pony. Although the East St. Louis, Illinois native was benched in 2024, he showed big-play capability when he lined up at nickel, registering two interceptions and one forced fumble.
Antonio Johnson is once again poised to make an impact for the Jaguars
The Jaguars could once again hold a competition, but Antonio Johnson should feel good about his chances even if Caleb Ransaw lurks behind. Heck, Eric Murray could be the one feeling the heat. While he's a dependable veteran, he doesn't excel at creating big plays, having registered just four interceptions throughout his 10-year career.
With Jalen Huskey also joining the mix, Murray could be on his way out. Of course, there's also a scenario in which both Murray and Johnson are the Week 1 starters, but the latter leaves in free agency in 2027 and paves the way for either Huskey or Ransaw to start.
The truth is that the Jaguars will go with whoever gives them the best chance to win. In 2026, it will be Antonio Johnson in one of the starting spots at safety.
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