Brandon Johnson is getting another shot to stick in the NFL, and this time the former Oregon cornerback is heading back to the West Coast.
Johnson signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday, joining the reigning Super Bowl champions after spending most of his rookie year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He went undrafted in 2025, landed on the Eagles’ practice squad for much of the season, and saw action in three games with one start before being released last month.
Now he’s in Seattle as a depth option in a secondary that still has room for someone to break through. The Seahawks currently have Nick Emmanwori and Tyrone Broden on the PUP list, and Broden’s own transition from wide receiver to cornerback could leave even more openings early in camp. Seattle also brought in three rookie corners in the draft, along with veteran Noah Igbinogene, so Johnson will have to earn every bit of traction he gets.
That’s where his profile could help him. Johnson has already shown he can handle a role and stay ready, and his age gives him a chance to compete with other young defensive backs for one of those roster spots.
At Oregon, Johnson was part of the Ducks’ undefeated regular season in 2024, a run that ended with a Big Ten title. He spent most of his time working from the nickel and finished with 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and one interception. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown.
His tackling in space stands out, and that could give him a path onto the roster through special teams if he makes enough noise in camp. For Oregon fans tracking the Ducks’ names around the league, Johnson is one more player worth watching when training camp opens.
In Other News...
Chip Kelly Is Back In Oregon Talk For A Very Different Reason
Chip Kelly is back in the Big Ten grind at Northwestern, where hes trying to fix an offense that needs it and doing it in a setting that looks a lot different from the one he left behind in Eugene. The former Oregon coach has kept moving since his Ducks days, with stops at UCLA, Ohio State and the Raiders before landing with the Wildcats, and this season gives him a pair of familiar measuring sticks against programs that know him well.
Northwesterns schedule sends Kelly back to Oregon on Oct. 31 at Autzen Stadium, a return to the place where his name still carries real weight. The Wildcats also meet Ohio State on Nov. 14, giving Kelly two chances to see how his latest offense stacks up against old rivals, even as the bigger question around him remains whether this stop becomes more stable than the last few. [Read more 🡒]
Autzen Stadium Just Got Hit With Another Disrespectful National Take
A familiar college football barroom debate got another round of fuel when former Michigan lineman Taylor Lewan and former Nebraska linebacker Will Compton ran through the sports loudest stadiums on their podcast and left Autzen Stadium outside the top tier. They gave the usual heavyweights their due, with Neyland Stadium, LSUs Tiger Stadium, Ohio State and Tennessee all getting placed ahead of Oregons home field, even though Autzen has long carried a national reputation as one of the toughest places to play.
That slight matters in Eugene because the Ducks have plenty of evidence to push back with, and their 2026 home slate should only add to the argument. On3s decibel list has Autzen at 127 decibels and No. 6 nationally, and the biggest-ticket games on Oregons upcoming schedule figure to bring the kind of crowd and energy that keep this conversation alive every offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Former Duck Dante Dowdell Faces Alarming Offseason Update
Former Oregon running back Dante Dowdells offseason has taken a troubling turn after an all-terrain vehicle accident earlier this summer, a development that has put his football future on hold for the moment. Dowdell, who has also played at Nebraska and Kentucky before transferring to Georgia, had been part of the Bulldogs plans heading into the season and even found the end zone in the spring game, a reminder of why his arrival drew attention in Athens.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart confirmed the situation and said the program is hoping for Dowdells recovery as the team waits to see how things unfold. For Oregon fans who followed his path after he left Eugene, it is a sobering update on a player whose career has already taken him across several programs and now faces a far more important fight than anything on the field. [Read more 🡒]