Charles Johnson (DE) - Pro Football Rumors

Mutual 2017 Interest Between Charles Johnson, Panthers

December 18th, 2016 at 1:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran defensive end Charles Johnson would like to re-sign with the Panthers in 2017, as he tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.

“I’d rather lose with these guys than win with anybody else,” Johnson said. “These are my guys. I know they come to work every day. I can play with them and have fun and do what I want, and also work at the same time. There’s not a lot of places where you’re going to be able to do that.”

Johnson, 30, is posting an excellent season during his 10th year with the Panthers, playing on nearly 60% of the club’s defensive snaps while registering four sacks and three forced fumbles. He’s graded as the league’s No. 23 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus, and as head coach Ron Rivera told Person, Carolina is also interested in a reunion next season.

“It’s about that steady, consistent play. I know people want to see these double-digit sack numbers. But what you see with Charles is the impact he makes throughout the game, the way he plays the game,” Rivera said. “And he’s been a tremendous leader. We’ll see how it all goes, but I’d love to have him back.”

Johnson, originally due $11MM in 2016, was released by the Panthers during the spring, but ultimately found his way back to Carolina on a one-year, $3MM pact. The Panthers could see other changes along their defensive line in 2017, as defensive tackle Kawann Short is headed for unrestricted free agency, while Star Lotulelei‘s fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only.

Extra Points: PEDs, Bosa, Tulloch, Buccaneers

August 7th, 2016 at 8:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL to wrap up the weekend…

Following a 2015 Al Jazeera America documentary that linked multiple players to PED use, the NFL is still planning on interviewing those players about the accusations, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Schefter lists Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, although the documentary also linked free agent linebacker Mike Neal and former tight end Dustin Keller.
With the Chargers and rookie Joey Bosa still engaged in a stare down over the defensive end’s contract, the third-overall pick’s mother has taken to Facebook with some interesting comments. “It bums me out for him so much,” she wrote (via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune). “Wish we pulled an Eli Manning on draft day.” Manning, of course, forced his way out of San Diego after being selected with the top pick in the 2004 draft.
The Eagles have a need at linebacker, leading Philly.com’s Zach Berman to agree with the team’s reported pursuit of free agent Stephen Tulloch. The 31-year-old has a natural connection to the team, as he previously played for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. “I have a lot of respect for that guy and his production,” Schwartz said. “Whoever is out there that can improve our team, whether it’s a guy like ‘Tully’ who is unsigned or guys that are on other teams . . . we’re going to watch preseason games and be looking at the waiver wire, who might be cap casualties.”
Charles Johnson spent his entire career with the Panthers, so it was a bit odd for the veteran to visit the Buccaneers, his longtime division rival, when he was a free agent this offseason. In fact, the veteran admitted that his battles against the Bucs played a role in him spurning the organization to return to the Panthers. “Don’t get me wrong, because Tampa has a great organization, but it was awkward playing against them so many years,’’ Johnson told ESPN.com’s David Newton. “You really have a hate factor for them and it was just really awkward.’’

NFC Contract Details: Vernon, Jenkins, Mack

March 9th, 2016 at 9:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are some of the latest details on many recent agreed-upon and signed contracts from out of the NFC (all links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post unless otherwise indicated)…

NFC East:

Olivier Vernon, DE (Giants): Five years, $85MM. $52.5MM guaranteed. $20MM signing bonus. $7MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2016 league year (Twitter links).
Janoris Jenkins, CB (Giants): Five years, $62.5MM. $28.8MM guaranteed. $10MM signing bonus. $1.4MM base salary in 2016 (Twitter link).
Brandon Brooks, G (Eagles): Five years, $40MM. $21MM guaranteed. $11MM signing bonus. $1MM base salary in 2016 and $5MM base salary in 2017 fully guaranteed (Twitter link).
Chase Daniel, QB (Eagles): Three years, $21MM base value. $36MM max value. $3MM signing bonus. $3MM roster bonus due on March 14. $3MM base escalators in 2017 and 2018 (Twitter link).
Colt McCoy, QB (Washington): Three years, $9MM base value. Third year can be voided based on playing time. $1.8MM signing bonus. $1MM annually in playing-time incentives (Twitter link).
Ron Brooks, CB (Eagles): Three years, $5.5MM. $1.55MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus (Twitter link).

NFC South:

Alex Mack, C (Falcons): Five years, $45MM. $28.5MM guaranteed. $11.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link)
Coby Fleener, TE (Saints): Five years, $36MM. $18MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
Mike Tolbert, FB (Panthers): Two years, $3.3MM. $700K signing bonus. Up to $200K in annual playing-time incentives (Twitter links).
Charles Johnson, DE (Panthers): One year, $3MM. $2MM base salary. $1MM in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).

NFC North:

Marvin Jones, WR (Lions): Five years, $40MM. $20MM guaranteed. $8MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
Alex Boone, G (Vikings): Four years, $26.8MM. $10MM guaranteed. Annual $100K workout bonus (Twitter link).
Danny Trevathan, LB (Bears): Four years, $24.5MM. $12MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus due on March 14 (Twitter link).
Michael Griffin, S (Vikings): One year, $2.5MM. $250K signing bonus. $500K of $1.65MM base salary guaranteed. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter links).
Tavon Wilson, S (Lions): Two years, $2.2MM. $500K signing bonus. Up to $500K in annual playing-time incentives (Twitter link).

NFC West:

Mark Barron, OLB (Rams): Five years, $45MM. $20MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus (Twitter link).
William Hayes, DE (Rams): Three years, $17.5MM. $10MM guaranteed. $4MM roster bonus due on March 13 (Twitter link).
Tyvon Branch, S (Cardinals): Two years, $8MM. $1MM signing bonus. $1.75MM roster bonus in 2016, $1MM roster bonus in 2017 (Twitter link).
Tim Barnes, C (Rams): Two years, $5.6MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.25MM roster bonus due in four days. $750K roster bonus due on third day of 2017 league year guaranteed for injury, skill; becomes fully guaranteed if on roster June 17. Up to $1MM in annual playing-time incentives. $250K annual Pro Bowl incentive (all Twitter links).
Brian Quick, WR (Rams): One year, $1.75MM. $1.5MM guaranteed ($1.25MM bas salary, $250K roster bonus due on March 15). $2MM stats incentive (Twitter link).

Panthers Re-Sign Charles Johnson

March 9th, 2016 at 7:31am CST by Dallas Robinson

WEDNESDAY, 7:31am: Johnson has officially signed his new one-year deal with the Panthers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

TUESDAY, 7:47pm: Johnson’s one-year pact will be worth $3MM, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, so Johnson will take a $8MM pay cut to stay in Carolina. According to Person, Johnson turned down as much as $6MM elsewhere to re-sign with the Panthers.

6:30pm: Just days after being released by the Panthers, defensive end Charles Johnson plans to return to the only team he’s ever known, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Johnson will re-sign with Carolina. It’ll be a one-yer deal, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

After being cut by the Panthers on March 3, Johnson quickly lined up suitors, taking visits with both the Giants and the Buccaneers. Johnson almost went to New York, as he tells Anderson (Twitter link), but admitted that his “heart was in Carolina” — indeed, Johnson tweeted a cryptic message earlier today, indicating that many observers would be surprised by where ended up.

Johnson was scheduled to earn $11MM in 2016 (between his base salary and a workout bonus), as well as account for a $15.02MM charge on the Panthers’ cap, and it’s safe to say that Johnson will earn less than that total on his new contract. Johnson was thought to have refused a pay cut before being released, so evidently he and the club have negotiated an acceptable figure since that time.

The 29-year-old Johnson has been the Panthers’ most reliable pass rusher over the last several years, recording at least 8.5 sacks in every season from 2010 to 2014. However, his 2015 campaign was derailed by a hamstring injury, which landed him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, sidelining him for nearly half the season.

In nine regular-season games in 2015, Johnson recorded just 12 tackles and a single sack, easily making it his least productive year since his rookie campaign. He showed flashes of his old self during the team’s postseason run though, picking up three playoff sacks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Charles Johnson To Visit Buccaneers

March 6th, 2016 at 8:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

8:41pm: Johnson’s visit with the Giants is expected to continue into Monday, but the free agent end will fly to Tampa soon after on Monday to visit with the Bucs, ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson reports (on Twitter). Johnson’s dinner with Giants representatives Sunday night reportedly went well, per Anderson (via Twitter).

1:24pm: After being released by the Panthers last week, veteran defensive end Charles Johnson is already drawing interest from pass rush-needy clubs around the league. As we learned yesterday, Johnson is set to meet with the Giants today, and according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Johnson will follow that trip with a visit to the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of getting after the quarterback in 2015, finishing 14th in sacks and 16th in adjusted sack rate. A lot of the Buccaneers’ pressure came from the interior, namely Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, as Jacquies Smith was the only Tampa end with more than five sacks. Smith is an exclusive-rights free agent (and expected to be offered a tender, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times), but other players along the Bucs’ front four — Henry Melton and Da’Quan Bowers, for example — are headed for unrestricted free agency.

Johnson, then, would be a nice fit for a club that needs to generate more pressure, and he comes with the added bonus of knowing his way around the NFC South. Though he played in only nine games in 2015 and posted only a single sack, Johnson was also hampered by injury, so his performance can be somewhat excused. Johnson isn’t exactly washed up, either, as he’s still under 30 years old, and averaged 11 sacks per season from 2012-14.

Because he was released, Johnson is free to sign with any club at any time — he doesn’t have to wait until Wednesday like the majority of NFL free agents.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giants Interested In Charles Johnson, Mario Williams

March 5th, 2016 at 6:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Pass rush was thought to be an area of focus for the Giants this offseason, and with that in mind, the club is expressing interest in two veterans who have spent their careers getting after opposing quarterbacks. According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Giants will meet with free agent defensive end Charles Johnson on Sunday, while the team has also contacted the agent for fellow defensive lineman Mario Williams, reports Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

Johnson, 29, was released earlier this week after spending nine seasons with the Panthers, and his trip to New York will comprise his first reported free agent visit. Though he played in only nine games in 2015 and posted only a single sack, Johnson was also hampered by injury, so his performance can be somewhat excused. Johnson isn’t exactly washed up, either, as he’s still under 30 years old, and averaged 11 sacks per season from 2012-14.

The 31-year-old Williams, meanwhile, has already garnered interest from at least one other club, as he was in Miami today to meet with the Dolphins. Highly ineffective in the Bills’ 3-4 scheme last year, Williams posted his lowest full-season sack total (five) since his rookie season in 2006, and was thus released on Tuesday. Still, like Johnson, Williams was successful in the three years prior, having averaged 13 sacks per year from ’12-’14.

The Giants are armed with a great deal of cap space, as their $55MM+ in reserves currently ranks third in the league. Per Vacchiano, the team is expected to “spend big” on defensive reinforcements, with the defensive line being a particular area of need. New York would prefer to bring a younger pass rusher, but Johnson and Williams would represent fallback plans if the team isn’t able to lure more youthful talent.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Release Charles Johnson

March 3rd, 2016 at 8:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have parted ways with one of the franchise’s top all-time pass rushers, according to Max Henson of Panthers.com, who tweets that the club has released Charles Johnson. The veteran defensive end had long been considered a candidate to accept a pay cut or be released this offseason.

Johnson, 29, has been the Panthers’ most reliable pass rusher over the last several years, recording at least 8.5 sacks in every season from 2010 to 2014. However, his 2015 campaign was derailed by a hamstring injury, which landed him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, sidelining him for nearly half the season.

In nine regular-season games in 2015, Johnson recorded just 12 tackles and a single sack, easily making it his least productive year since his rookie campaign. He showed flashes of his old self during the team’s postseason run though, picking up three playoff sacks. Overall, in his nine seasons in Carolina, Johnson racked up 63.5 total sacks, the second-most in franchise history, behind Julius Peppers (81.0).

Prior to his release, Johnson was set to count for more than $15MM against the Panthers’ cap in 2016, with a base salary of $10.75MM. By cutting him, Carolina clears Johnson’s entire salary from the team’s books, along with his $250K workout bonus, creating an even $11MM in cap savings.

According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link), the Panthers offered Johnson a pay cut before deciding to release him. Although Pelissero cautions not to rule out the possibility of a reunion between the two sides, I would imagine Johnson will explore the market and likely land elsewhere — if he finds that there’s not as much of a market for his services as he expected, perhaps the door re-opens for a return to Carolina at a reduced rate.

With Johnson no longer in the mix, the Panthers figure to address the defensive end position in free agency and/or the draft. Kony Ealy, who had three sacks during the postseason as well, looks ready to assume a full-time starting role on one side, and the club has some intriguing options behind him, but adding another starting-caliber player would be ideal, with Jared Allen retiring.

As Pro Football Talk notes (via Twitter), one intriguing scenario for the Panthers could be a return to North Carolina for Mario Williams, who was recently cut by the Bills.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Rumors: Norman, Gettleman, Johnson

February 24th, 2016 at 6:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the defending NFC Champions:

The Panthers will meet with Josh Norman‘s rep this week at the Combine, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. It has been long speculated that the Panthers will use the franchise tag to keep Norman for the 2016 season. The 28-year-old Norman put himself in a great position heading into unrestricted free agency, as 2015 was easily the best season of his four-year career. He was named first team All Pro and selected for his first Pro Bowl, and posted solid raw statistics, producing career highs in both interceptions (four) and passes defensed (18).
“Obviously we are going to try to get a deal done with [Josh] Norman. If not, the tag is an option,” Gettleman said (Twitter link via Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer).
Based off the comments of GM Dave Gettleman on Wednesday, Person (on Twitter) gets the sense that Norman will be tagged. He also gets the feeling that defensive end Charles Johnson will either be cut or asked to take a big pay cut. Right tackle Mike Remmers, who is slated to be a free agent, also sounds likely to be retained.
Gettleman says they are still evaluating Johnson (link). The GM added that it was tough to evaluate him last year because of the injuries.

Latest On Panthers, Charles Johnson

February 21st, 2016 at 10:32am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers DE Charles Johnson is 29, is coming off an injury-plagued 2015 season, and has not posted a double-digit sack total since 2013. He is also entering the final year of a six-year, $76MM contract he signed in 2011, and he is scheduled to count $15MM against the salary cap in 2016. Given the emergence of Kawann Short–whose contract situation must be addressed in the near future–and Kony Ealy, Carolina could release Johnson, saving a much-needed $11MM in cap space in the process, and replace him with a cheaper alternative.

[RELATED: Jared Allen Announces Retirement]

But the $15MM cap number is just unpalatable, and as Joseph Person and Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer report, Johnson will have to agree to restructure his contract and take less money or risk being cut. Person and Jones point out, though, that GM Dave Gettleman has a special affinity for pass rushers, and Johnson may find that whatever the Panthers ask him to take could still be more than what he could get on the open market.

If the two sides do end up parting ways, Jones looks at five pass rushers who could be available in the draft (the 2016 draft class has a great deal of pass rushing depth, which could make the decision to release Johnson a little easier). Although elite prospects like Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner will certainly be gone before the Panthers’ No. 30 overall pick rolls around, players like Oklahoma State’s Emmanuel Ogbah, Michigan State’s Shilique Calhoun, and Clemson’s Kevin Dodd are worthy early-round targets.

Person and Jones also examine five potential replacements for Johnson that could be available in free agency, a group that is headlined by Jason Pierre-Paul, who was selected by the Giants when Gettleman was on New York’s staff. The Giants will reportedly attempt to re-sign JPP, but they will not put the franchise tag on him or sign him to a mega-deal, so he could end up testing the free agent waters. He will likely sign an incentive-laden deal with someone, but Person and Jones express skepticism that Carolina will be the team to give him such a contract.

Ultimately, the Panthers may be better off releasing Johnson, using some of the $11MM saved to sign a more under-the-radar free agent like William Hayes, and capitalizing on the draft’s pass rushing depth to pick up a high-upside rookie in the middle rounds. They could then put the rest of that cap space–along with the $8.5MM of room that was created when Jared Allen announced his retirement–towards the franchise tag for cornerback Josh Norman. Johnson, if he is released, should have little trouble finding a new team on the lookout for pass rushing help–which is basically every team in the league–especially since he would not count against his new club’s compensatory pick formula.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sunday Roundup: T. Jackson, Osweiler, Jags

February 14th, 2016 at 12:38pm CST by Rory Parks

The brief post-Super Bowl lull has set in on the NFL world, but the first day of free agency is right around the corner, and you can bet that there will soon be reports concerning contract extensions, franchise tags, etc. As we await that deluge, let’s take a look at some news and notes from around the league:

Seahawks backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is expected to test the free agent market this year, according to Jessamyn McIntyre of 710 ESPN Seattle (via Twitter). McIntyre reports that there was a strong market for Jackson’s services last season before he ultimately decided to re-up with Seattle.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders what it will take for the Broncos to retain Brock Osweiler, especially since there are likely to be a number of teams like the Texans, Jets, and Rams potentially willing to bid against Denver for his services. We learned yesterday that a contract with an AAV of around $9MM would probably not be enough to prevent Osweiler from testing the free agent market, and Florio appears to concur with that sentiment.
Kevin Acee of The San Diego Times-Tribune explores potential stadium sites in San Diego that the Chargers might consider, concluding that the Mission Valley site, although less exciting, is more likely than the East Village option.
Although there have been rumors that the Jaguars will consider adding an offensive tackle this offseason, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union would be surprised if that happened. O’Halloran notes that the Jaguars’ two starting tackles, Luke Joeckel and Jermey Parnell, currently account for the third and fourth highest cap charges on the roster, respectively, and he adds that no starting-caliber free agent tackle would sign with Jacksonville at this point.
Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at the biggest issues facing the Panthers this offseason. He believes that Carolina will ultimately put the franchise tag on Josh Norman and should ask defensive end Charles Johnson to rework his current deal.
Although he may be a bit biased, former NFL GM and well-respected football mind Bill Polian believes the Lions made the right decision in retaining Jim Caldwell, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. Polian points to the team’s drastic improvement in the second half of the 2015 season and the players’ support of Caldwell as indicators that Caldwell is the right man for the job.