AZ Cardinals Safety Rashad Johnson Enters Camp as Likely Starter
August 1, 2013
AZ Cardinals Safety Rashad Johnson Enters Camp as Likely Starter
Article by Cassandra Negley of AZ Central Sports
Rashad Johnson entered training camp last year with dreadlocks, fellow 2009 Arizona Cardinals draftees and a second-string safety position.
The dreads are gone, the seven other 2009 draftees are gone, and this year, Johnson entered camp as the likely starting safety.
“I feel blessed to still be in the same organization with the same team,” Johnson said after the team’s morning walk-through at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday. “I know the city, I know the stadium, so you know, (I’m) just going to take advantage of the opportunity. I don’t take anything for granted.”
Johnson was taken in the third round of the draft at No. 95 overall and was the only rookie to start a game for the Cards in 2009.
Johnson, Beanie Wells, Greg Toler and LaRod Stephens-Howling were the last remaining players in the 2009 class at the end of last season. Toler signed with Indianapolis, Stephens-Howling with Pittsburgh and Wells is still unsigned.
“I think I’ve worked hard and am able to get better each and every year, and that’s a reason why I’m still a part of this roster,” he said.
A walk-on running back at Alabama, Johnson switched to defense and earned the starting safety job his junior year. He served as captain his last two years, becoming only the eighth player in Alabama history to serve as captain twice.
“I know what it takes to be a starter. I know what it takes to go through adversity,” Johnson said. “I was a walk-on in college and (had to) fight my way from the bottom. So coming in and playing behind Adrian (Wilson) and learning a lot from him, you know, it has allowed me to just be the player I am now and coming into this camp confident and excited with opportunity to come in and be a starter this year.”
After filling in for an injured Kerry Rhodes in 2011, Johnson slowly started to play a larger role at the safety as the 2012 season went on. He spent a majority of the time learning from Wilson, a 13-year veteran.
Wilson signed with the New England Patriots after being released by the Cardinals in March.
Johnson said he’s entering this training camp with a different mindset. It’s more of a sense of ease and confidence where you can just “come in and think about, ‘I’m going to play ball’” instead of worrying about other guys on the team.
As for his hair, it’s a little to do with the Valley heat and a lot to do with keeping up with the changes.
“I think it was just the season’s change,” Johnson said. “That look has passed a lot of us. A lot of us have grown out of that. It’s just a new look.”