Packers sign former Texans safety Jonathan Owens
Green Bay adds another veteran into the mix in the defensive backfield.
By PackerAaron
From Aaron Wilson:
#Packers signed former #Texans starting safety Jonathan Owens @jjowens_3 @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 12, 2023
A former undrafted free agent, the 5-11, 210 lb Missouri Western product signed with Houston in 2019 after a short stint with Arizona.
After a few years of limited playing time, Owens started to see the field more in 2021 (where he had an outstanding performance against the Chargers) prior to becoming a full time starter in 2022. He finished last season with 125 combined tackles, four pass breakups, and one sack.
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Comments (26)
Coldworld
May 12, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Maybe Amos wants too much or wants away from that scheme. I’m assuming Owens is not expensive. He did pretty well last year apparently. Athletic guy, more like a SS than Moore, who profiles a FS physically and athletically, if Barry does go to more distinctive roles at S. Another high RAS type though.
Small school guy of whom Lance Zierlein had this to say in the lead up to the 2018 draft;
“Owens has the frame and testing numbers of an NFL player, but he needs to play with a much greater level of urgency and aggression in order to make it in the league as a safety. Owens stays connected to blocks longer than he needs to and he will pull up short of the action rather than rushing in to impose his will as a hitter. He has the physical ability to handle coverage and run support duties as a strong safety, but he needs to flip the switch mentally in order to take on the field demeanor that is necessary for the job.”
Grandfathered
May 12, 2023 at 01:52 pm
Thanks for the info on Owens. I kinda wanted Amos back. Maybe he had a down year 2022, but he was willing to amend his contract in past years when the Pack needed him to in ordder to free up cap space.
LLCHESTY
May 12, 2023 at 04:12 pm
His DADOT of 10.6 seems a bit high if he was just playing SS but the numbers suggest you don't want him deep. I don't know much about the Texans but I'm guessing Pitre played in the slot quite a bit so maybe Owens played deep more than he should. Passer rating given up of 128. Nice missed tackle rate of 6%.
I remain hopeful that one of these years they'll find a good deep safety.
Bear
May 12, 2023 at 03:49 pm
Hopefully he has improved from his scouting report.
Weaknesses
Tends to lay back rather than instigating the action as a tackler
Too many reps as pile inspector rather than first responder
Catch and drag tackler in open field
Needs to be more aggressive and sudden in taking on open field blockers
Baited out of position by underneath routes and play-fakes
May lack the instincts to handle NFL deep-safety duties.
Coldworld
May 12, 2023 at 06:29 pm
Last year he was not great in coverage ratings, allowing 24 completions on 36 attempts, but he was a good tackler. PFF rated him 15th among safeties, making 117 out of his 128 attempts. It’s fair to note that he was one of the better players on a poor D.
Although he started off as a FS coming out of college, he’s mostly played nearer the line in the NFL, most of which playing time was last year.
LLCHESTY
May 13, 2023 at 12:43 pm
He actually played deep a lot more than in the box last year. From Bill Huber:
"According to Pro Football Focus, he played 576 snaps as a deep safety, 215 snaps in the box and 115 snaps in the slot."
Coldworld
May 13, 2023 at 12:45 pm
Yes, I read that, but it seems to be contradicted by commentary in season and after from the Texans sphere.
I suppose there is an element of what is coverage and what is not. PFF has become a lot more sketchy on that, in my view. I’m not planning to go back and watch Owens enough to find out. The Texans were certainly a bad D, but that number of tackles also supports a less coverage heavy role.
WD
May 12, 2023 at 04:37 pm
Having identified safety as a need this is no doubt a great addition and possibly another under the radar gem. To say he has all the numbers is a massive under statement. You have to love his youth, size, blazing speed, (4,3) and the phenomenal vertical of 43 in.
Thegreatreynoldo
May 12, 2023 at 08:07 pm
Great RAS. Bad PFF grade (48.3). It sounds like he needs coaching as the size, speed, and explosiveness have always been there.
Coldworld
May 13, 2023 at 08:07 am
Last year was really his first year starting consistently. Mostly due to injuries giving him a chance as I understand it. From what I can tell, he was seen as one of the better players in a bad unit, but returning talent made it questionable whether he’d retain his place. Small school depth and development guy for most of his career who finally got a shot. The key question is, was that rating indicative of inexperience or ceiling? The same could be said of Tarvarius Moore, though in his case, a dubious position switch and injury curtailed his starts.
If I had to guess, both are players who may have more than they’ve shown, but can be viable, cheap, depth and also play STs. I see the plan as moving away from the guys like Leavitt who are ones that you never want to trot out on D but who excel on STs if we can while hoping one or both break out and grab a more significant defensive role.
x24
May 15, 2023 at 12:52 pm
Hey TGR, unrelated, but any chance you'll be revisiting the cap in light of recent happenings? Maybe with the non-re-signings there are no real changes...?
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 12, 2023 at 05:08 pm
Have been traveling so haven't researched him, but he sounds like a great addition based on how badly the team needs safety talent.
stockholder
May 12, 2023 at 06:37 pm
This is another classic example of Gutey;
making up for a draft mistake.
Do I like it. Yes.
But if he's so good why was he let go?
jannesbjornson
May 13, 2023 at 10:08 am
Scrub Watch 2023.
dobber
May 13, 2023 at 12:13 pm
Signed Jimmie Ward
Have a 2022 2nd round pick returning
This guy is a small school flier who earned time as a special teamer and is learning the pro game as he goes. He profiles mostly as a ST player who earned snaps (in part due to injury) as an athletic box safety on a team with a very low pressure rate and with lousy LB play.
More bodies to see what sticks.
He's capable of playing defensive snaps, which already puts him ahead of Leavitt in my book.
LLCHESTY
May 13, 2023 at 06:47 pm
I think Moore profiles more as a STs player than Owens. Owens played almost as many snaps on defense last year as Moore has in 4 years. I think you're right that one or the other replaces Leavitt, which is a positive for the defense.
BA4Packers
May 12, 2023 at 08:41 pm
Allowed a passer rating of 124 with 11 missed tackles in his first year as a full time starter.
Let’s hold off on the excitement just a little bit.
jannesbjornson
May 13, 2023 at 09:35 am
See if he makes it out of Cut-Downs.
Grandfathered
May 12, 2023 at 10:03 pm
Owens is marrfied to Simone Biles, so I'm already a fan. Saw a pic of them both in Packers apparel and it's great that she is a GBP fan now.
PhantomII
May 13, 2023 at 10:34 am
I was thinking the same thing. Plus she is a famous multiple gold medal winning gymnast who knows about dedication, teamwork, desire, etc. She will keep him focused and be supportive. I wish them the best...GPG
Grandfathered
May 13, 2023 at 09:15 pm
Totally, that's what I was thinking! Here is a summary from Wes Hodkiewicz:
"Biles is considered by many one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. Her seven Olympic medals (four gold, one silver and two bronze) are tied for the most by an American gymnast. She has won 25 World Championship medals.".
Bring her into the locker for a few words about motivation, hard work, and excellence.
Doug_In_Sandpoint
May 13, 2023 at 08:01 am
When the opposing QB’s have only 1.5 seconds to get the ball off I predict he will be fine. We may not even need safeties as LVN, Gary, and Preston will get home before the receivers get even 10 yards deep.
greengold
May 13, 2023 at 08:27 am
I get it, and I like it.
First off, Owens is merely an affordable depth player at Safety. A player who brings with him the physical profile and ascending production to have a real shot to make this roster.
One of my own guesses for a big breakthrough player this season is Kingsley Enagbare.
Add Enagbare, Wooden, Brooks & Brenton Cox Jr. to that mix, and I see this Packers secondary benefiting greatly.
PickFest 2023.
LambeauPlain
May 13, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Owens was given Amos's jersey number.
About the only way I see AA coming back is if after camp and preseason do not feel they have a viable safety tandem and he is still unsigned.
I am going to miss Amos. Under-rated Packer who did his job well albeit a down 2022 in the 2nd year of Barry Ball...as other D players regressed too.
ko40489
May 13, 2023 at 01:43 pm
125 tackles and 4 passes defended. Question--how many of those tackles came after he failed to defend a pass? I don't know--I'm just asking the question because the difference is between him being a big hitter versus chasing down a receiver after a catch.
Connor Wall
June 07, 2023 at 08:56 am
Owens is moving from Texas to Wisconsin, I hope he doesn't freeze XD