Michael Johnson's Return to Bengals Defensive Line Is a Win-Win for Cincinnati

Michael Johnson's career trajectory might not be aiming where it once was just a few years ago. He had 11.5 sacks as a 25-year-old in 2012, and in 2013, Pro Football Focus graded him as the fourth-best 4-3 defensive end in the NFL.

That's why Johnson signed a five-year, $43.8 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason. But in 2014, the former third-round pick had just four sacks and was graded by PFF as the fifth-least productive pass-rusher among 36 qualified 4-3 defensive ends. 

Player	PRP
Malliciah Goodman	4.2
Robert Geathers	4.3
Derek Wolfe	5.2
Chris Clemons	5.8
Michael Johnson	6.3
William Gholston	6.4
Mathias Kiwanuka	6.4

Now, Johnson is back in Cincinnati after an early release from the Bucs, but at a more reasonable four-year, $24 million rate, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Cincy will also have a third-round compensatory pick in this year's draft, which was granted to them after losing Johnson on the open market in 2013. 

So if Johnson can recapture some of what he had going for him during his first stint with Cincinnati, the Bengals will have executed one hell of a coup. 

It's not a good sign that the Bucs gave up on Johnson after just one season, but that might be a team trend more than anything. Tampa Bay also recently parted with veterans Josh McCown and Anthony Collins just one year after signing each to lucrative free-agent deals. 

Plus, injuries may have factored in. Johnson dealt with a high ankle sprain early in 2014 and played through a broken hand later in the season. And those injuries might have been an aberration, because he missed only one game during those first five years of his career in Cincinnati. At 6'7", 270 pounds, he's got the frame to withstand beatings and he's held up well. 

Michael Keating/Associated Press

The Bucs were just impatient, and they would have owed Johnson far too much to keep him around. With less pressure back in an environment that helped him excel a few years ago, there's little reason to believe Johnson can't live up to a $6 million-a-year salary while teaming up with the consistent Carlos Dunlap and veteran Wallace Gilberry, who is better off as a rotational guy. 

Essentially, the Bengals lent Johnson to Tampa Bay for a year, saved a few million bucks and gained a useful draft pick. 

That's quite possibly genius, and maybe a game-changer when you consider the Bengals had a league-low 20 sacks sans Johnson last season. Three years ago, during the Georgia Tech product's breakout season, they ranked third in the league in that category. In 2013, when Johnson was an advanced stats star, they ranked in the top 10. 

Year	Team sacks (rank)	Johnson sacks
2012	51 (3rd)	11.5
2013	43 (10th)	3.5
2014	20 (32nd)	Gone

The Bengals know how hard it is to win in this league without a quality pass rush. They still managed to win 10 games in 2014, but they handed the AFC North crown to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, and this is a desperate franchise that hasn't been victorious in the playoffs since 1990. 

Johnson might not put them over the top, but if he can remain healthy and stay driven, he'll boost an inconsistent defense while helping move the Bengals closer to the Super Bowl conversation, and all at a relatively low price. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon