For the time being, Tom Johnson is out of a job. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the Seahawks are releasing the veteran defensive tackle. The team needs an extra roster spot for Monday’s game against the Bears, and they’ll “likely” re-sign Johnson next week.
Back in March, the 34-year-old signed a one-year deal with Seattle that could be worth up to $2.7MM (Pelissero notes that Johnson’s contract has already been guaranteed). The defensive tackle was coming off a four-year stint with the Vikings during which he played at least 40% of the team’s defensive snaps in each campaign. Johnson saw a career-high 68% playing time last season, and he finished the year with 17 tackles and two sacks. Pro Football Focus graded him as roughly a league-average defensive tackle, as Johnson ranked 60th among 122 qualifying interior defenders.
The 2006 undrafted free agent out of Southern Miss started the Seahawks’ season-opener against the Broncos, compiling a single tackle. With the team in need of a roster spot, they decided to temporarily release Johnson, leaving them with Jarran Reed, Shamar Stephen, Nazair Jones, and Poona Ford as their options at defensive tackle.
Seven players sat out practice for the Seahawks yesterday, with three of them unlikely to play: offensive lineman D.J. Fluker, linebacker K.J. Wright, and wideout Doug Baldwin. Cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers, linebacker Bobby Wagner, and safety Delano Hill also sat out. The team already added one notable player to their team this week, signing free agent linebacker Mychal Kendricks on Thursday.