NFL Rumors: Minnesota Vikings likely to sign Michael Johnson?

Nov 17, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson (93) reacts during the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati won 41-20. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

NFL free agency opens in under month and teams are starting to scope out potential free agent signings that they can possibly pull off. One of the most obvious free agent fits from the start has been the Minnesota Vikings and defensive end Michael Johnson.

Johnson is an unrestricted free agent this year after being franchise tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013. His former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer just so happens to be the new head coach of a team needy for defensive end help, meaning Johnson could come sprinting to the rescue.

One free-agent match with buzz here: DE Michael Johnson and the #Vikings, who hired his former DC, Mike Zimmer, as head coach.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 22, 2014

As we near fee agency, this idea is going to be latched onto by more and more people, but it’s really made sense from the start. Johnson is a beast of a defensive end and already fit Mike Zimmer’s schemes once and can flourish in Minnesota.

The Vikings also have about $20 million in cap room and even more if the cap is raised to $132 million like reported. Johnson to Minnesota is looking more and more likely as the days go by.

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