Following Cody Parkey‘s injury, the Saints will have a third kicker in three games. Brian Johnson looks set to succeed Aldrick Rosas and Parkey.
The Saints are signing Johnson off the Bears’ practice squad, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The team expressed interest in Ravens practice squad kicker Jake Verity, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill, but a Verity injury led the team to go with Johnson (Twitter link).
By rule, Johnson joining the Saints off the Bears’ P-squad will require his new team to carry him on its 53-man roster for at least three games. Parkey is now off New Orleans’ roster, having been placed on IR Monday. Parkey suffered a pulled groin during pregame warmups and struggled attempting to play through the injury.
A Virginia Tech alum, Johnson has not yet kicked in a regular-season NFL game. Johnson succeeded Joey Slye as the Hokies’ kicker, serving in that role with the ACC program from 2018-20. He made 20 0f 26 field goals as a senior. The Bears initially cut Johnson but kept him on their practice squad shortly after cutdown day. Although Wil Lutz is slated to return in the not-too-distant future, Johnson is set for an opportunity in New Orleans.
Solid kicker. Better than Parkey.