Jaguars' defender making huge strides in third NFL season

Among the many players on this Jacksonville Jaguars team playing really good football right now is safety Antonio Johnson.

Johnson's role expanded coming out of the bye week when he took over starting safety duties next to Andrew Wingard while Eric Murray was on injured reserve.

Since Murray's return in recent weeks, Johnson has filled a do-it-all role in the Jaguars' secondary.

"Antonio, a lot of that is just repetition," said Anthony Campanile. "It really is. He's gotten so many reps now, doing what we're doing and I think he's very, very comfortable."

In recent weeks, Johnson has lined up as a box defender, at free safety, and in the nickel.

That versatility that Johnson possesses is an important element within Campanile's defense, as it enhances that disguise component. Where quarterbacks see Johnson pre-snap, that may not be where he is post-snap.

His ability to fill a variety of roles adds a lot of flexibility to Campanile's call sheet.

"He's also, like I said last week, playing a lot of roles for us," said Campanile. "He's playing nickel, playing safety, playing some dime. We move him around a lot and I think he's doing a lot of the things he does well. He's got, I think, a ton of confidence right now and I think that's a big difference for him. He's put in the work."

Johnson was a fifth-round pick by the Jaguars in 2023 and has made huge strides in his third NFL season.

He's logged three interceptions, three pass breakups, and 48 total tackles this season.