Bengals Sign DE Michael Johnson To A Four-Year, $20M Deal

Update:

The Bengals have already announced the signing of DE Michael Johnson.

Welcome back Michael Johnson pic.twitter.com/u9Cj4feHjn

— Geoff Hobson (@GeoffHobsonCin) March 15, 2015

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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the veteran DE Michael Johnson has reached an agreement with the Bengals.

• Schefter adds that Johnson receives a four-year contract worth $20 million that will pay him $6 million in 2015.
• If you add that to the $7 million the Buccaneers are paying him, he take home $13 million in total this year.

The Buccaneers officially released Johnson on Wednesday just one year after signing him to a five-year, $43.875 million deal with $23 million guaranteed. Johnson walked away with $16 million after just one year in Tampa Bay.

According to Jason La Canfora, Johnson will make $7 million from the Buccaneers in 2015, as his contract included no offset language. La Canfora estimates that Johnson could end up making $14 million or so in 2015.

It became clear shortly after Johnson was cut that the Bengals and the Vikings were the two teams to watch for him given that he has ties to both teams.

Cincinnati’s pass rush really struggled after Johnson departed, and given that he was the best available edge rusher, this is appears to be a good move for the Bengals.

Johnson, 27, recorded 27 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles over the course of 14 games for the Buccaneers. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 53 defensive end in a 4-3 system out of 59 qualifying players.