Taron Johnson, Bills Agree to 3-Year Contract Extension Worth Reported $24M

The Buffalo Bills announced Saturday they've signed cornerback Taron Johnson to a three-year contract extension through the 2024 NFL season.

Johnson, a 2018 fourth-round pick out of Weber State, has recorded 15 total tackles, five passes defended, one sack and one forced fumble through three appearances in 2021.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported terms of the deal:

Johnson has quietly emerged as a solid nickel corner for the Bills. He's received a 72.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for the early stages of the current campaign.

His most memorable play came in last season's playoffs. With the Bills leading the Baltimore Ravens by seven, he picked off a Lamar Jackson pass at the Bills goal line and returned it 101 yards to give Buffalo a 17-3 lead it would hold for the remainder of the game.

The 25-year-old California native has tallied 201 tackles, 20 passes defended, four sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and a touchdown across 42 career regular-season appearances.

With the extension, Johnson joins fellow corner Tre'Davious White and safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer as key members of the Buffalo secondary under contract through at least next season. Levi Wallace, the team's other starting cornerback, is a potential free agent but has been pushed for playing time by second-year corner Dane Jackson.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott praised Johnson on WGR's Extra Point Show ahead of the team's Week 3 game against the Washington Football Team:

"It's fun to watch Taron. He's playing at a high level. He fills a role for us that not many can do. I'm really proud of the way he's improved and how he's playing. It's really fun to watch those guys (the defensive backs) because of... the relationships they've formed off the field and the relationships they have on the field. Watching them play is a lot of fun."

The Buffalo secondary faces its toughest test of the season Sunday night when it visits Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes torched the Bills in two meetings last year, one in the regular season and another in the AFC Championship Game. He combined to complete 50 of his 64 passes (78.1 percent) for 550 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in a pair of Chiefs wins.

Buffalo's defense must provide more resistance Sunday to give quarterback Josh Allen and the offense a chance to outscore Mahomes and Co.