Bills Sign DT Austin Johnson

[Woodman]

Bills Sign DT Austin Johnson (https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/bills-sign-dt-austin-johnson)

The Bills have been forced to address their defensive line during these early weeks of free agency. After Ed Oliver (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OlivEd00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr), the team saw the next four top snap-getters on the interior hit free agency. After a couple of departures, they’ll add some depth and starting experience in the form of former Chargers defensive tackle Austin Johnson (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnAu01.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr), per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Fowler also tells us that Johnson’s one-year deal (https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1771603353144836401) will be for $3.5MM and worth up to $4MM.

Johnson is an eight-year veteran who has seen time with the Titans and Giants before his most recent stint with the Chargers. After Tennessee drafted him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Johnson spent his first few years rotating in for starters like Al Woods (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WoodAl99.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) and Sylvester Williams (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillSy00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr). In his third season, Johnson started to earn more starting time with Jurrell Casey (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CaseJu00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) and DaQuan Jones (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneDa04.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr), one of the Buffalo free agents this offseason who re-signed with the team (https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/daquan-jones-to-re-sign-with-bills) on the second day of free agency.

[Woodman]

Buffalo still has work to do to fill out their defensive line. They’ll return Oliver and Jones, and they signed Eli Ankou (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AnkoEl00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) to a reserve/futures deal. Meanwhile, Tim Settle (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SettTi00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) departed for Houston (https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/texans-to-sign-dt-tim-settle) in free agency and Poona Ford (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FordPo00.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) is swapping places with Johnson, joining the defensive line (https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/03/chargers-to-sign-dl-poona-ford) for the Chargers. Last year’s veteran tackles Jordan Phillips (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PhilJo01.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) and Linval Joseph (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoseLi99.htm?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-03-23_pfr) both remain free agents for now. The Bills may opt to return one or both of them in order to fill out the line with a bit more depth, though late-round rookies may be cheaper.

[TacklingDummy]

Nice. The Bills have done wonders this off season. Going to field better talent next year than last year.

Hopefully they hit big in the draft.

[TheConsigliere]

This is a good deal for the Bills.

He has played NT over the past 4 years with the Chargers and Giants in 3-4 Ds.

He will be in his 30th year this year and was drafted in 2016 by the Titans in the 2nd round.

I would say that with DaQuan Jones resigned and now the addition of Austin Johnson, it is highly unlikely the Bills draft a 1DT in the first or second round this year.

[TheConsigliere]

His wife is hot although not Jordan Poyer’s wife Rachel Bush hot.

https://images.app.goo.gl/XWusCH9qxhdJoWbz9

[ghz in pittsburgh]

I read somewhere that DaQuan Jones recommended Johnson to the Bills (I think it is Eric Wood said that). Johnson is Jones' fellow Penn State and later Titans' teamates. I'd not be surprised he may have put in a good word for Johnson to the Titans to influence them to spend a 2nd round pick in Johnson.

[Woodman]

Nice. The Bills have done wonders this off season. Going to field better talent next year than last year.

Hopefully they hit big in the draft.

We really must hit on this draft.

[Forward_Lateral]

This dude is huge

[Mad Max]

I read somewhere that DaQuan Jones recommended Johnson to the Bills (I think it is Eric Wood said that). Johnson is Jones' fellow Penn State and later Titans' teamates. I'd not be surprised he may have put in a good word for Johnson to the Titans to influence them to spend a 2nd round pick in Johnson.

Looks like there may have been some recruiting and lobbying?

https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/2024/03/austin-johnson-joins-buffalo-bills-thanks-to-best-recruiter-out-there-5-things-to-know.html?outputType=amp

[YardRat]

A body for the rotation. Hopefully one of these seasons the strategy of plugging in guys like this every year will pay off and they'll actually show up in the playoffs.

[notacon]

Nice. The Bills have done wonders this off season. Going to field better talent next year than last year.

Hopefully they hit big in the draft.

Yep.

The D-line position is better than last year.

CB is shaping up to be better than it has been for quite some time.

LB is better than last year, combination of Bernard with a year's of starting experience, Milano coming back and added depth in Morrow and Dorian Williams almost assuredly improving with experience. He has a lot of upside.

WR position is already better than last year, with more on the way via the draft.

TE will be better with Kincaid fast blossoming into a star. Knox will probably come back from a down year.

OL is doing just fine. Morse will not be missed as much as the naysayers think. McGovern will do just fine at C, with the possibility that Will Clapp will compete for the starting job. Either way he provides versatile depth.

S is a question mark although Mike Edwards sure loos like an upgrade from the aging Poyer.


Like I wrote in another thread (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/265287-So-where-do-we-stand-after-today-s-bloodletting?p=5094245&viewfull=1#post5094245)....Mike Edwards is an upgrade over the aging, slowing Poyer. He started 5 games, including all 4 playoff games, for SB champions Chiefs last year. He is not replacing the Jordan Poyer of a few years ago, but the one who's beat up, who's value has plummeted, down two-thirds from the Bills contract he signed in 2023....that was considered a pay cut after he tested the FA market last off season and could not find any team willing to pony up.

This draft and late FA signings (courtesy of an infusion of $10M in cap space after June 1) has the Bills in very good position to improve as a TEAM.

[daryls61]

Solid signing. Got to grab a developmental one in the draft though.

[Bill Cody]

So we have a new Johnson. But we also have Clapp.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

There are a number of people who are high on him, though I'm not sure.

Number 1 is DaQuan Jones. The guy played with Johnson for a long time so knows him very well. It's one thing to be a buddy it's another you want him being a co-work that you know you can't count on him to get the job done.

Another theory is that Johnson has played NT in 3-4 majority of his career. So tying up blocker is his biggest strength. Quite a few noted his powerful hands and hold up at the point of the attack, but nothing else. There is something similar to DaQuan's career that until people asked him to do more pass rush, especially in Buffalo, he started to flash additional capability. Would Johnson follow the same path play 4-3 in Buffalo, even at 1 tech?

I just think DaQuan is a better player period, even though Johnson came into NFL with higher pedigree (2nd rounder vs 4th rounder). Johnson had a hard time breaking into Titans starting D-Line throughout his career, without getting the 2nd contract whereas DaQuan did. Expecting Johnson to provide pass rush might be a pipe dream at his age now. But he can be a valuable rotational piece as a run stopper, holding up at the point of the attack, which the likes of Tim Settle, Jordan Philips, and Ford failed to perform consistently last year.

[Mad Max]

There are a number of people who are high on him, though I'm not sure.

Number 1 is DaQuan Jones. The guy played with Johnson for a long time so knows him very well. It's one thing to be a buddy it's another you want him being a co-work that you know you can't count on him to get the job done.

Another theory is that Johnson has played NT in 3-4 majority of his career. So tying up blocker is his biggest strength. Quite a few noted his powerful hands and hold up at the point of the attack, but nothing else. There is something similar to DaQuan's career that until people asked him to do more pass rush, especially in Buffalo, he started to flash additional capability. Would Johnson follow the same path play 4-3 in Buffalo, even at 1 tech?

I just think DaQuan is a better player period, even though Johnson came into NFL with higher pedigree (2nd rounder vs 4th rounder). Johnson had a hard time breaking into Titans starting D-Line throughout his career, without getting the 2nd contract whereas DaQuan did. Expecting Johnson to provide pass rush might be a pipe dream at his age now. But he can be a valuable rotational piece as a run stopper, holding up at the point of the attack, which the likes of Tim Settle, Jordan Philips, and Ford failed to perform consistently last year.

I just expect a rotational body nothing more. Settle, Philips and Ford were all meh so Johnson just has to be a little better than meh to be an improvement.

[Saratoga Slim]

It was clear that without DaQuan in the lineup, Oliver couldn't be his best self. He needs a true 1 tech to eat double teams next to him. Austin Johnson is a good rotational piece and insurance policy. I like the addition a lot.

We still need another competent DT though to spell Big Ed.

[Woodman]

A body for the rotation. Hopefully one of these seasons the strategy of plugging in guys like this every year will pay off and they'll actually show up in the playoffs.

[Woodman]

Solid signing. Got to grab a developmental one in the draft though.

IMO that's still a priority. :gobills: