Former Kentucky CB Lonnie Johnson waived by Kansas City Chiefs

It’s a bad week to be a former Kentucky cornerback in the NFL. Monday morning Lonnie Johnson was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s the second former Wildcat defender to be cut in the last two days, following Chris Westry in Carolina.

Like Westry, Johnson was getting a fresh start with a new team in 2022. Unlike Westry, he was a high draft pick with multiple years of starting experience in the NFL.

The Houston Texans selected Lonnie Johnson with the 22nd pick in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. A JUCO product and native of Gary, In., he had 19 starts and played in more than 55% of defensive snaps in each of his three seasons in Houston. Johnson tallied 128 tackles, three interceptions and 13 pass deflections for the Texans.

There is another big reason why this comes as a surprise. Kansas City traded for Johnson this offseason, sending a conditional seventh round pick to Houston. They did not give up a lot to acquire Lonnie, but Andy Reid is ready to move on after only one preseason game? That’s a shock. Lonnie Johnson appears to be taking the news in stride.

Prior to this move there were three Kentucky connections on the Chiefs’ training camp roster, fifth round draft pick Darian Kinnard and Devon Key, the old brother to one Dane Key. Hopefully they share a different fate from Mr. Johnson.