Kisean Johnson
Kisean Johnson
NFL careers rarely follow a straight line, and for Kisean Johnson, the path back to Green Bay has been particularly unconventional. After spending the final weeks of the 2025 season on the Packers’ practice squad, Johnson entered the offseason without a contract and spent the next several months simply trying to stay on the field.
He played in the CFL, then he joined an indoor football team in New Mexico. And eventually, the Packers called again.
Kisean Johnson Gets Another Opportunity in Green Bay
Green Bay signed Johnson on Sunday following a workout with the team, bringing him back to a receiver room that suddenly needed another body after short-term injuries to Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed.
On the surface, it is a relatively minor roster move. For Johnson, it represents another opportunity to prove he belongs.
A Long Road Back to Green Bay for Kisean Johnson
Johnson originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent following his college career at Western Kentucky. He spent the 2025 preseason with the Cleveland Browns but did not make the roster.
His first opportunity with Green Bay came in January, when the Packers added him to their practice squad ahead of the postseason. Johnson spent roughly two weeks with the organization before being released following the Packers’ playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.
Unlike several other members of the practice squad, Johnson was not brought back on a reserve/futures contract. That could have been the end of his connection to Green Bay. Instead, Johnson kept looking for places to play.
He spent time with the Edmonton Elks in the CFL before joining the New Mexico Chupacabras of the Indoor Football League, where he played the final five games of the season. It wasn’t necessarily the conventional route back to the NFL. But it kept him playing. “I just wanted to stay active,” Johnson said.
That decision eventually paid off. When the Packers needed another receiver, Johnson was one of three players brought in for a workout. He was the one who earned a contract.
Green Bay Can be the Right Place for Kisean Johnson
Johnson’s connection to Green Bay appears to run deeper than simply finding another NFL roster spot. After his first stint with the Packers, he came away believing the organization could be the right place for him.
“When I came in last year, I said, ‘Man, it’s the place for me,’” Johnson said. “Because every time I see that ‘G,’ I see opportunity.”
It is a fitting description for a player who has spent much of his professional career searching for exactly that.
Johnson went undrafted. He didn’t stick in Cleveland. His first stint with Green Bay was brief. He spent part of the offseason outside the NFL before finding his way back. Now he has another chance.
Kisean Johnson Has Some Catching Up to Do in the NFL
There is one obvious challenge, as Johnson hasn’t been in Green Bay’s offense long enough to have the playbook memorized. In fact, he admitted that he barely remembered the system from his brief stint with the Packers last season.
“I was only here a week,” he said.
During Sunday’s practice, passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable occasionally had to help Johnson with his alignment and route responsibilities. That is understandable given the circumstances.
Johnson went from playing indoor football to getting an NFL opportunity in a matter of weeks. Now he has to absorb a professional offense while competing for a roster spot and preparing for the preseason. There isn’t much time. But Johnson doesn’t appear overwhelmed by the situation.
“God don’t make no mistakes, so I ain’t worried about it,” he said.
The Packers will ultimately need more than confidence. Johnson will have to demonstrate that he can learn the offense quickly, execute consistently and make enough plays to separate himself from the rest of the competition. Still, the fact that Green Bay brought him back suggests the organization saw something worth another look.
Another Chance, Another Test for Kisean Johnson
Johnson’s path to the NFL may have been unconventional, but his college production gives the Packers something to work with. He was an FCS All-American at Alabama State in 2023 before transferring to Western Kentucky for his final collegiate season.
In 2024, he caught 75 passes for 925 yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers were enough to earn him an NFL opportunity, even if he ultimately went undrafted. The question now is whether that production can translate into the professional game.
There is a natural temptation to look at Johnson’s signing as little more than a temporary solution to an injury problem. Maybe that’s all it becomes.
However, the Packers have seen enough from him to bring him back, and the current state of their receiver room gives him a legitimate chance to change the conversation. Johnson doesn’t need to arrive in Green Bay and immediately become one of Jordan Love’s primary targets.
He needs to make plays, he needs to be reliable and he needs to contribute on special teams. Most importantly, he needs to give the coaching staff a reason to keep finding ways to get him onto the field. That is what this opportunity is really about.
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Main Photo Courtesy of Ken Blaze – Imagn Images