/Panthers Re-Sign DE Johnson

Panthers Re-Sign DE Johnson

The Carolina Panthers have re-signed defensive end Charles Johnson to a one-year contract, the team announced Wednesday. Johnson returns to the Panthers after being released March 3.

“We worked very closely with Charles and his agent in the last few days to come to an agreement and I’m appreciative of all the hard work put forth to get a deal done,” general manager Dave Gettleman. “What this deal signifies is Charles is a man of his word and in his heart he bleeds Carolina blue. The entire Panthers family is very happy that Charles will be able to continue his career here.”

Johnson started nine games for Carolina in 2015, missing seven games while on the injured reserve / designated to return list with a hamstring injury. He returned from the injury and started all three postseason games for the Panthers, recording three sacks.

Johnson has spent his entire nine-year NFL career with Carolina and ranks second in franchise history with 63.5 sacks. His 17 forced fumbles also rank second in team history. He recorded at least nine sacks in four consecutive years from 2010-13, a feat no other Panther has accomplished. He is one of three players in franchise history to have 10 or more sacks in at least three seasons after collecting 11.5 in 2010, a career-high 12.5 in 2012 and 11.0 in 2013.

“My heart was in Carolina,” Johnson said. “Once you put all that energy into it, I feel like I would have been wasting all that work had I gone somewhere else for some dollars. I’d rather be happy doing what I’m doing around people that I know, and I’m comfortable with. I can’t wait to get back to work.”

A third-round selection of Carolina in the 2007 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia, Johnson has played in 118 regular season games, the third-most among a defensive lineman in team history behind Mike Rucker’s 139 and Julius Peppers’ 122.