Seahawks sign DT Tom Johnson, bring back DE Marcus Smith

Posted March 23, 2018 7:00 am

The Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) - The Seattle Seahawks added needed depth on their defensive line by signing veteran defensive tackle Tom Johnson and bringing back defensive end Marcus Smith.

The Seahawks are thin up front with the trade of Michael Bennett to Philadelphia and the loss of Sheldon Richardson in free agency. Johnson provides the Seahawks a solid veteran at defensive tackle who played on one of the premier defenses in the NFL last season.

Johnson started 15 games for Minnesota in 2017 when the Vikings led the NFL in total defense and scoring defense. Johnson joined the Vikings in 2014 after three seasons with New Orleans. He had 32 tackles and two sacks last year for the Vikings while playing the third-most snaps of any of Minnesota's defensive linemen.

Smith was signed by Seattle last summer after the former first-round pick was a bust with Philadelphia. Smith appeared in 14 games and had 15 tackles and 2 ˆ½ sacks.

___

More AP NFL: https://pro32.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Football NFL NHL Pro Sports Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.