The Buffalo Bills locked up an important piece of their defense for the long term.
The team announced on Saturday that cornerback Taron Johnson had signed a three-year extension with the team.
Johnson, a 2018 fourth-round pick, was playing on the final year of his rookie contract in 2021.
In short time, Johnson has come a long ways with the Bills. After being drafted by the team, he revealed that Buffalo actually had no contact with him in the pre-draft process.
So much for all the hype and predictions leading up to the draft each offseason…
But since then, Johnson has gone on to become a staple in Sean McDermott’s defense. The head coach’s scheme for the Bills has Johnson lining up as the team’s slot cornerback.
For many NFL teams, this position is not a “starting” one. For McDermott, it is. and Johnson will often play in every snap, every game for the Bills.
Johnson has had some ups and downs in his career with the Bills, but has evened out since the middle of last season. He was nearly replaced in the lineup by Cam Lewis early in 2020, but an injury put Johnson back out there and Johnson has never looked back.
Eventually, Johnson recorded perhaps the biggest interception in franchise history when he picked off Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in last year’s postseason.
As long as Johnson plays near the levels he has in the past year and change, Buffalo should be happy with his extension, regardless of the terms of the deal. Those have yet to be officially announced.
Bills Wire will post those as soon as they become available.
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