THE $72M MYSTERY JET
TRUMAINE Johnson wears enough jewelry to let you know he’s made a few dollars playing in the NFL. Diamond necklaces and diamond earrings are all part of the wardrobe. He can afford it.
In his two previous seasons, Johnson has made approximately $30 million playing cornerback, thanks to back-to-back seasons of wearing the franchise tag with the Rams. Now he has a five-year, $72 million contract with the Jets, including $34 million guaranteed, a huge investment that needs to pay off if his team is going to have a chance to be a Super Bowl contender anytime soon.
The Jets, who open their season Monday night in Detroit, need Johnson to play up to his paycheck. The defense will have to be stout while rookie quarterback Sam Darnold feels his way through the NFL. The Jets can’t win an offensive shootout. That said, the success of the defense will hinge heavily on whether Johnson can be the shutdown corner he is being paid to be.
“I’m excited,” Johnson said. “The regular season is here. It’s big time. Now these games count.”
Johnson doesn’t mind having to prove his worth. Montana was the only college that offered him a scholarship coming out of high school. He turned that into being a third-round pick by the Rams in the 2012 draft. Now he has turned playing with the Rams into a $72 million contract with the Jets.
“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” Johnson said. “It’s a blessing.”
Johnson once shared the same secondary with Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins, who was the opposite cornerback with the Rams. Now they share the same city after Jenkins signed a five-year, $62.5 million deal to join the Giants before the 2016 season. They keep in touch.
“That’s my brother. We came in the league together,” Johnson said. “He went second round. I went third round. He’s a heck of a guy on and off the field.”
Think about it. Two former Rams cornerbacks command contracts potentially worth $134 million. “It’s crazy when you think we started our careers together and now we’re in the same city,” Johnson said. The Jets can only hope Johnson has the kind of first year with Jets that Jenkins had in his first season with the Giants, when he went to the Pro Bowl for the first time and was voted second-team All-Pro. An even-keel competitor, Johnson doesn’t seem pressured by the expectations. Playing for big money is nothing new. He made $13.9 million wearing the franchise tag in 2016 and $16.7 million when the Rams put the franchise tag on him again in 2017. The money was nice, but Johnson knew his long-term future wasn’t with the Rams. “Once they placed that tag on me the second time, I knew what was going to go on after the season,” Johnson said. “With the tags you have to bet on yourself. I had tremendous confidence in myself that everything would work out.” You will need the eye test to figure out of if Johnson, 28, is worth the money. Interceptions aren’t always a good barometer. He has had just three the last two years after gathering seven in 2015. Teams didn’t throw his way once Jenkins left, and at 6-foot-2, 213 pounds, Johnson is fierce on run support. He played well enough to lure a big offer from the Jets. “Everything was new to me here,” said Johnson, a native of Stockton, Calif. “But it has been a smooth transition. It’s getting better by the day.” Helping to make the transition easier was the presence of defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson, who coached Johnson with the Rams while in St. Louis and Los Angeles. “It’s a little bit like a family affair,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know too many guys until I got here so I’ve been trying to build chemistry on and off the field with these guys.” Johnson has spent the spring and summer doing that. Now it’s time to play football for real and show the Jets he’s worth every penny.