Can Safety Anthony Johnson Jr. Hang On to His NY Giants Roster Spot?

The New York Giants safety room returns both Tyler Nubin and Dane Belton from the 2024 roster as two of the top three on the roster.

With the addition of Jevon Holland from the Miami Dolphins this past offseason, the Giants now have one of the more respectable and promising safety rooms in the NFL.

That said, there is still room for one more safety to round out the depth on the 53-man roster, as well as potentially one spot on the practice squad.

Enter Anthony Johnson, Jr., who played his college ball at Iowa State, where he was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2022.

Anthony Johnson Jr., S

Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
EXP: 3 Years
School: Iowa State
How Acquired: W(GB)-’24

2024 in Review

After spending the 2024 preseason with the Green Bay Packers, who drafted him in the seventh round (Pick No. 242), Johnson was claimed off waivers by the Giants on August 28, 2024.  

He was a healthy scratch for the first half of the season, but later on in the year, he received a game uniform, his role primarily being on special teams.  

In Week 17, he finally cracked into the defensive lineup, and then in Week 18, he played more in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

In all, Johnson saw nine games worth of action with the Giants (no starts) and had five tackles and a pass breakup on defense. 

For more Giants coverage, follow and like us on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel, and hit up our weekly mailbag.

Contract/Cap Info

The Giants took on Johnson’s rookie contract after being awarded it off waivers. His deal was originally a four-year, $3.923 million pact. What's left of Johnson’s signing bonus ($83,7640 total) hit the Packers' cap last year and this year. 

The Giants, meanwhile, are only on the hook for his case salaries, which are $1.03 million this year and $1.145 million next year. There would be no dead money penalty for the Giants if they were to cut Johnson.

2025 Preview

There aren’t many spots available in the Giants safety room in 2025, but there should be one or two, and Johnson should be in contention for one of those.

What could help Johnson is that he played cornerback in college until the 2022 season, logging 245 tackles, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, and 28 pass breakups in 62 games over his career. Johnson plays a physical game, making him an ideal fit for roles on special teams and as a reserve safety. 

His play speed is more than sufficient enough. However, given he’s relatively new to the safety position, he’s still learning how to take proper angles and become a better tackler – he has nine career missed tackles in 355 defensive snap counts, which is likely one of the reasons why the Packers moved on from him. 

More NY Giants Coverage