Seahawks To Sign DT Tom Johnson

The Seahawks have agreed to sign defensive tackle Tom Johnson to a one-year deal worth up to $2.7MM, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Seattle witnessed the Vikings poach interior defender Sheldon Richardson last week, and now the Seahawks have done the same to Minnesota by signing Johnson. Of course, the 32-year-old Johnson isn’t the caliber of player that is Richardson, but he’ll give Seattle depth along its defensive line as the club enters something of a mini-rebuild.

Johnson is coming off a four-year run with the Vikings during which he played at least 40% of the team’s defensive snaps in each campaign. In 2017, Johnson saw a career-high 68% playtime, and posted 17 tackles and two sacks during that time. Pro Football Focus graded him as roughly a league-average defensive tackle, as Johnson ranked 60th among 122 qualifying interior defenders.

The Seahawks, who have also met with Vikings free agent Shamar Stephen, will add Johnson to a defensive tackle group that also includes Jarran Reed, Nazair Jones, Garrison Smith, and — depending on his health — 2017 second-round pick Malik McDowell.

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