Not long after being let go by the Bengals, Fred Johnson has found a new home. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter) that the Buccaneers are signing the offensive lineman to a one-year contract.
Johnson, 24, was tendered as a restricted free agent by Cincinnati, the only team he had played on during the first three seasons of his NFL career (which includes 23 total appearances and eight starts). However, by the time he signed that tender, the team was in a significantly different situation at the tackle position.
The Bengals signed former Cowboy La’el Collins as the third significant addition to their offensive line. With Collins at the top of the depth chart – along with backup RT Isaiah Prince and guard/tackle Hakeem Adeniji already under contract – Johnson became expendable. On the same day that he signed his tender, he was waived.
In Tampa Bay, the six-foot-seven, 326-pound blocker will join an offensive front which has undergone changes of its own this offseason. The team lost Alex Cappa to Cincinnati, and traded for Shaq Mason from the Patriots. The departure of the former is one of rather few notable losses this offseason, as Tampa has retained the likes of Tom Brady, Chris Godwin, Carlton Davis and Leonard Fournette in another attempt to make a Super Bowl run.
Johnson was with the Steelers for the first part of his rookie year of 2019. He was on their active roster until mid-October; he just didn’t get into a game until the Bengals claimed him on waivers. So while the Bengals are the only team he’s played for, they’re not the only team he’s been with.