GREEN BAY – The Packers have added another safety into the mix.
Fifth-year veteran Jonathan Owens joins Green Bay after spending the last four seasons with the Houston Texans, where he recorded 143 tackles, five passes defensed and an interception in 31 games with 19 starts.
Here are five things to know about the Packers' new safety:
1. Owens was one of the NFL's leading tacklers last season.
The 5-foot-11, 210-pound safety started all 17 games for the Texans, recording a career-high 125 tackles (84 solo) with four passes defensed and a quarterback hit.
Owens, 27, registered at least 10 combined tackles in seven contests, including 15 (11 solo) in the Texans' 20-20 tie with Indianapolis during their 2023 regular-season opener.
He broke into Houston's starting lineup near the end of the 2021 season, grabbing his first career interception off Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert on Dec. 26, 2021.
2. He took the long road to achieve his NFL dream.
Owens first signed with Arizona as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He spent his entire rookie season on the Cardinals' injured reserve list after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during the first two weeks of the offseason program.
Arizona released Owens at the end of training camp in 2019. It was the first time he'd ever been cut. He kept training across the street from the Cardinals' facilities during the first month of the NFL season.
"I didn't know if I was going to be able to play again," Owens told HoustonTexans.com. "The field I trained at for those three weeks was literally right across the street from the Cardinals' training facility, so I would see their bubble every day.
"There were days I'd get kicked off the field by amateur soccer teams because they were out there having to compete on that field, so I'm taking my water bottle and my little speaker I had with me and moving over to another field. It honestly would push me harder every day."
One month later, Owens signed with the Texans. He spent the next three seasons bouncing between Houston's practice squad and active roster. He was elevated to the 53-man roster for good on Dec. 4, 2021.
Last summer, the 27-year-old safety made Houston's initial 53-man roster for the first time.
3. Owens is married to Olympic gymnast Simone Biles.
The couple officially married last month but had a ceremony this past weekend in Cabo San Lucas with family and friends.
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.
Biles rose to fame in 2013, winning two World Championship golds at age 16, including the all-around title. She followed that with four Worlds golds in 2014 and another four in 2015.
She has competed in two Olympic games. During her first appearance in Rio in 2016, Biles won gold in the all-around, team, vault and floor, and bronze on the beam.
4. He starred at NCAA Division II Missouri Western State for four seasons.
A native of St. Louis, Owens tallied 254 tackles (155 solo), seven interceptions, 16 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and 2½ sacks over his four seasons with the Griffons.
He earned second team All-MIAA as a senior in 2017 after setting single-season career highs in tackles (95), passes defensed (nine) and interceptions (two).
While Owens has returned just a single kickoff in the NFL, he returned 28 punts for 259 yards (9.3 yards per return) during his final two collegiate seasons.
5. Owens' 2018 pro day got him noticed by the Cardinals.
Owens recorded a 43-inch vertical at his pro day, which was 1½ inches higher than any player at the NFL Scouting Combine a month earlier. He clocked a 4.43 in the 40, with an 11-foot broad jump and 18 reps of 225 pounds in the bench.
