Reason 2: Johnson is a stud third-down & receiving back
Johnson’s greatest value is his third-down back ability. He is an excellent pass-catching back-and-pass blocker. One thing that isn’t discussed much is his fluidity in running routes. He can line up out wide and looks like a receiver, and he’s just as good out of the backfield. It’s really hard to find a better third-down back than Johnson in the NFL.
Since joining the Bills he’s caught 25 passes for 346 yards, four touchdowns, and 16 first downs, with a 78.1% catch percentage. Last year he showed up a lot for Josh Allen, including an insane 4th and long touchdown grab against the Broncos in the playoffs.
Johnson was the NFL’s leader in yards per touch last season (based on backs with a minimum of 50 touches). Out of 12 qualifying Bills receivers, Johnson ranked first in EPA per target, and third in receiving EPA, per Anthony Cover1. He was also first in yards per target, second in yards per catch, second in positive play percentage when receiving, and second in first down percentage when receiving. Now the Bills have what is quite possibly their most underrated weapon, locked up for the next two seasons.
Reason 3: Great value for the Bills
For years, the Bills were on the hunt for a back of Johnson’s skill set. They signed J.D. McKissic, but then he changed his mind. James Cook was drafted to be a receiving back but has since ascended into their star lead horse. They were gifted Johnson by their AFC East rival, the New York Jets. Gang Green released him and the Bills immediately picked him up.
The value they got on Johnson in the new contract is really hard to beat. The already reported $5 million seems to be the maximum value for the two-year deal. So when the full details come out and it gets fully broken down, it will likely look even better. While the Bills didn’t draft Johnson back in 2019, you can classify him as a homegrown player, being so that they unlocked him. In regards to that, it’s another example of the Buffalo Bills brass rewarding their guys.
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