Will Pro Bowl snub fuel LA Rams DB John Johnson III?

The LA Rams defensive back John Johnson III will face the Seahawks, who had both safeties named to Pro Bowl. Will his snub fuel a spotlight performance?

The LA Rams veteran defensive back John Johnson III has a lot on his plate right now. He is the Rams coverage quarterback, as he is the defensive secondary play-caller for the Rams defensive backfield. He is also one of the keystones to the entire defensive performance, a defense that is increasingly more and more vital to the success of the team.

But on a more personal note, he is facing NFL Free Agency in 2021. That means that each honor,  each game, and each play, can translate into significant amounts of money next year. But one honor that will not factor into his calculated contract offer next year is being named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 2021.

And we’re not the only ones who noticed.

Content to work outside the spotlight

Johnson is the type of player who does whatever is needed. Unfortunately, that can include a host of solid football plays that seldom get noticed. Johnson can take on a block and make the tackle. He can cover a receiver so well that the quarterback simply throws another direction. But most of all, he calls the pass coverages on the field.

Of course, the Seattle Seahawks runs a defense that features Jamal Adams at the expense of the overall effectiveness. Adams leads the team with 9.5 quarterback sacks. But he has no interceptions. In Seattle’s defense, they run Adams after the quarterback, which is far more ‘linebacker’ like than a defensive back. And yet, despite missing four games and playing in a defense featuring Adams chasing down the quarterback, he earned a Pro Bowl nod over the superior defensive back play of Johnson.

Historically, a player who is such an obvious snub from the Pro Bowl uses that oversight to fuel an outstanding game. That is even more likely with Johnson facing the Seahawks, the team that sent two lesser quality safeties to the Pro Bowl over him. John Johnson III is capable of some pretty dominating defensive play. Let’s hope he shows that dominance this weekend.