The Jacksonville Jaguars exceeded expectations in 2025, winning 13 games after going 4-13 the year prior. There's no doubt that head coach Liam Coen played a huge role in the turnaround. Had the Jags not hired him, they probably wouldn't have turned things around.
Of course, Coen didn't do it alone. He had ample talent to work with and did an excellent job of getting the most out of players who had previously underperformed. Trevor Lawrence is the one who probably comes to mind first but is far from the only one.
On defense, Antonio Johnson had a banner season after a disappointing 2024 campaign. And following the end of the season, Pro Football Focus highlighted his improvement.
PFF chose Antonio Johnson as the most improved safety in the NFL last season
Thomas Valentine of PFF put together a list of the most improved players at every position last year and picked Antonio Johnson at safety, highlighting the fact that his overall grade of 86.9 led the league at the position.
"Jacksonville finished the regular season third in EPA per play allowed and relinquished the third-fewest explosive plays, and Johnson's 86.9 PFF grade leads all safeties," Valentine wrote.
"Johnson's calling card is his top-tier play in coverage. He allowed just 23 receptions for 202 yards, a touchdown, and five interceptions in 2025, with his yards per reception dropping from 13.6 in 2024 to 8.8. in 2025. Johnson has been one of the best tackles at the position, too. His 86.7 PFF tackling grade is ninth at the position, and his 4.8% missed tackle rate is the fifth-lowest."
After a promising rookie campaign, Johnson struggled in 2024. He was at one point benched in favor of Darnell Savage but eventually got his job back. In the offseason, the former Texas A&M Aggie was part of a three-way battle for the starting spot next to Eric Murray. Andrew Wingard ultimately came out on top, and Johnson started as the No. 3 safety on the depth chart.
However, Johnson still got playing time and made the most of it, which helped him earn a bigger role down the stretch. Although he only made nine starts and logged fewer snaps than Wingard, he had the bigger impact of the two.
With Wingard slated to hit the open market, Johnson should be the favorite to start next to Eric Murray in 2026.
Related: 5 players who definitely won't return to Jacksonville in 2026
Antonio Johnson turned safety into a strength for the Jaguars
Last offseason, safety was routinely dubbed a weakness for the Jaguars, and understandably so. Antonio Johnson was coming off a disappointing season. And while Eric Murray was a solid starter, he was far from a playmaker. Couple that with the fact that Andrew Winard was a fringe starter, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville was being urged to add reinforcements at the position.
But once the regular season came, the trio of Murray, Wingard, and Johnson came through.
As noted before, Dewey could leave in free agency, but the Jags will get Caleb Ransaw back, who missed his rookie year with a leg injury. Fellow sophomore Rayuan Layne also flashed in limited playing time, so the safety room is in much better shape than the team's brass would've probably anticipated.
Of course, it wouldn't hurt to add depth in the offseason, but the Jaguars can most definitely prioritize other positions.
Circling back to Antonio Johnson, he's now entering a contract year. And if last season was a glimpse of what he can do, the Jaguars will need to be ready to pay him to prevent him from leaving in 2027.