New York Giants Retain UFA Defensive Tackle Austin Johnson (Report)
While the New England Patriots were busy making splash after splash, the New York Giants made a ripple on the first day of the legal free-agency negotiation window.
The Giants agreed to terms with defensive tackle Austin Johnson, who first came to the team last year on a one-year deal. ESPN was first with the report.
Johnson is a solid run-stuffing defender who figures to provide depth as a run stopper if the team loses Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency.
Johnson recorded 18 tackles (eight solo), two tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, and a sack last year in 231 rotational snaps on the Giants defensive line, a 5.2 run-stop percentage per Pro Football Focus.
Johnson, 6-4, 314 pounds, played his college ball at Penn State, where he was coached by Sean Spencer, now the Giants defensive line coach. He entered the league as a second-round pick (No. 43 overall) of the Titans in 2016.
Johnson has primarily been listed as a nose tackle in his career but is versatile enough to play anywhere along the defensive line. The Galloway, New Jersey native, has appeared in 58 games with the Titans, with 13 starts and had 83 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and five passes defensed before making the jump to the Giants last off-season.
In three seasons at Penn State, Johnson appeared in 38 games and recorded 28 starts, including starts in all 26 games as a sophomore and junior. He totaled 154 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, eight passes defensed, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries, including a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
During his junior season (2015), he started all 13 games and was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches. He was also named All-Big Ten by BTN.com and ESPN.com and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the Associated Press and Athlon Sports.
Johnson ranked second on the team that season with 15.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks (second among defensive linemen in FBS) and third on the team with 78 tackles, posting the most tackles for a Penn State defensive lineman since Jimmy Kennedy (87) in 2002.
Johnson graduated in 2015 with a journalism degree. He'll get a $1.5 million base salary and a $1.5 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2021 league year. He can also earn up to $500K in playtime incentives.
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