The Buffalo Bills General manager Brandon Beane is making big changes to the team's roster to comply with the salary cap. After suddenly letting go of several veteran players before free agency, it was clear that Beane was serious.
But one important player on Bills head coach Sean McDermott's defense is staying. ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed on Monday, March 18, that the Bills are giving a new deal to All-Pro DB Taron Johnson that will make him the highest-paid nickel cornerback in the NFL, according to a source. He will be with Buffalo until the 2027 season.
“Taron Johnson is getting a 31 million dollar extension with the Bills for three years,” Schefter said. “His agent Jason Chayut has confirmed the deal.”
Bills are signing All-Pro DB Taron Johnson to a three-year extension that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid nickel back, per source. He’s tied to Buffalo through the 2027 season. pic.twitter.com/2EYes3LgGv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2024
News 8’s AJ Feldman joked, “In slot cornerback terms, it’s a three-year, $620 million nickel extension.”
Johnson has been with Buffalo for his entire career. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft and started all 17 games last season. He achieved a career-high of 98 total tackles, 8 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. In two playoff games, the 27-year-old added 8 total tackles and 1 forced fumble. Johnson was on the field for 89% of the team’s defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Talk.
💥Taron Johnson is tied with George Teague (101yd INT TD, 1-8-94) for the longest interception return in postseason history💥pic.twitter.com/a8DPQY7s8N
— Kara Lattanzio (@karamarie110) January 17, 2021
Johnson previously signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bills, which kept him under contract through 2024. But after releasing veteran defensive back Siran Neal, it seems they wanted to lock Johnson down for the foreseeable future. It also likely lowers his $12.4 million cap hit in 2024.
13 WHAM’s Mike Catalana said, “You can certainly make a case that no one on Bills defense has been better than Taron Johnson over his 6 years… Johnson now should be the leader of the group.”
The Webster State alum earned Second-Team All-Pro honors last season. The 5-foot-11, 192-pounder has appeared in 88 games and made 67 starts in Buffalo. He’s recorded a total of 450 tackles, 39 passes defense, 7 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, and 1 pick-six.
Former Bills CB Siran Neal Signed With the Miami Dolphins
GettyFormer Bills cornerback Siran Neal at Arrowhead Stadium on October 10, 2021.
The announcement of Johnson’s extension comes on the heels of cornerback Siran Neal‘s abrupt exit. Neal, a former fifth-rounder also drafted by the Bills in 2018, was included in Buffalo’s first wave of cuts.
The decision was a surprise since Neal still had one year left on his three-year, $9 million extension. His release cleared approximately $2.8 million in cap space. Neal signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, which seems like a bargain for the special teams stud.
Since the Jacksonville State entered the NFL, “Only three players in the league have more special-teams plays with one team than Neal’s 1,714 in regular-season play with the Bills,” AL.com’s Mark Inabinett wrote. “He’s also played 567 defensive snaps in 97 regular-season games. Neal also has played in 10 postseason games with Buffalo.”
Even With Taron Johnson’s Return, The Bills Defense Will Look Very Different in 2024
After cutting Tre’Davious White, Neal, and Jordan Poyer, the Bills said farewell to Leonard Floyd. Regarding All-Pro safety Micah Hyde, he’s considering retirement.
Following their release, Johnson posted a tribute video on Instagram and wrote, “End of an era.”
Keeping Johnson was an obvious decision. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia wrote, “In recent years, Johnson has become a crucial part of the defense, allowing Buffalo to consistently use nickel defense as its base strategy regardless of the offense’s personnel.
“His ability to handle both pass coverage and run defense in a 5-foot-11, 192-pound body makes him one of the best at his position in the NFL. He is one of the most essential starters on the entire roster, making him extremely valuable for the Bills. Johnson will provide the team with deep knowledge of the defensive scheme and leadership within the secondary, which the team lost this offseason.”
