Will Johnson, Rashid Shaheed
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Arizona Cardinals rookie Will Johnson had a standout performance in his first NFL game
The number ‘0’ jersey worn by Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson turned out to be a pretty spot-on predictor of the amount of success that the New Orleans Saints would have when targeting the first-year defensive back during his first career game.
In reality, Will Johnson allowed four receptions for 32 yards in Arizona’s 20-13 win, so it’s not as if the Saints were completely shut out when throwing in his direction. However, for all intents and purposes, the Cards rookie had Saints wideouts in shackles all afternoon long. Targeted seven times, Johnson had three pass break-ups and an interception that was called back because of an away-from-the-play illegal contact penalty.
In the end, Spencer Rattler’s passer rating was 68.7 when throwing in Will Johnson’s direction, and as a result, the rookie earned a 90.2 overall grade for the game according to Pro Football Focus, the second-highest mark by any cornerback in the league in Week 1. He also earned some serious praise from ESPN’s Field Yates, who specifically highlighted a behind-the-line-of-scrimmage pass play that Johnson detonated before it could even get going.
Cardinals rookie CB Will Johnson in his NFL debut:
– targeted 7 times– allowed just 4 catches for 32 yards– had 3 passes defended – had an INT called back because of a penalty far away from the play– this crunching hit
Stone cold baller.pic.twitter.com/Hmfh4kapr2
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 8, 2025
New Orleans figures to be among the worst passing offenses Arizona will face this season, so take this performance with a grain of salt before crowning Will Johnson the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, we didn’t need this performance to remind us that it was likely a huge mistake that every team in the NFL — including the Cardinals, by the way — passed on Johnson before he was eventually picked in the 2nd Round of the NFL Draft.
There’s a reason why Will Johnson was considered a likely top ten pick in the 2025 NFL Draft before the 2024 college football season began. And there’s a reason why it’s so damn risky to think too hard about the injury concerns for a guy in his early-twenties when he so clear has the talent to eventually be among the best players in the league at his position.
Cardinals Coach Jonathan Gannon Slow Plays Will Johnson’s Immediate Impact
Even after a performance so impressive that it’s fair to say that the biggest takeaway for the Cardinals is that Will Johnson is ready right away to be a starting cornerback in the NFL, head coach Jonathan Gannon isn’t getting carried away talking about his rookie DB. At least not yet.
“He played well. I thought he played with the right technique for most of the day, made some plays, showed up.” Gannon told reporters after the game, per Alex D’Agostino of GoPHNX. “I know the one big hit. What was cool about that was taking the coaching to the grass, that was formation recognition. … He saw it and applied it.”
Some of Johnson’s teammates, however, were ready to shower the rookie with more effusive praise than their head coach was.
“He has all the tools to be an elite corner in this league and it’s good to see him get some first action and show what he can do,” Cardinals captain Calais Campbell said after the game. “He’s created a new standard for himself, so we expect him to be like that all the time. This is the new normal.”
Cardinals All-Pro safety Budda Baker, who took Johnson under his wing throughout training camp, added after the game, “He was locking up on his receiver, whoever that was, and he did a great job in communicating. That was a great game for him.”
Will Johnson’s next opportunity to impress his teammates, coaches and Cards fans will come on September 14 when Arizona hosts the Carolina Panthers in their 2025 home opener.