The Vikings Just Signed a Huge Lineman Nicknamed “The Creature”
· Yahoo Sports
Team building never truly stops. Things speed up or slow down, but the train is always rolling. News that the Vikings just signed someone isn’t much of a surprise, at least in terms of basic roster maintenance.
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Check out the matter-of-fact update courtesy of the team’s official social media: “The #Vikings have signed DL Eric Johnson II.” The 27-year-old defender was a Colt before a quick stop in New England. He then ventured into free agency. The third chapter of his NFL career gets rolling with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings Just Signed “Creature” Eric Johnson for D-Line
Lately, all of the attention has been on who got scooped up in the draft.
The Vikings’ 1st-Round pick got sunk into Caleb Banks (leading to strong opinions). In the 3rd, the Vikings opted for Domonique Orange, who is more of a menace in the running game. These two young fellas are meant to add some sizzle to a defensive line that was too often playing humdrum ball last year. Each is huge.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 18 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesIf the depth chart proceeds in the expected manner, then the top options up front appear as follows:
- DL1: Jalen Redmond
- DL2: Caleb Banks
- DL3: Domonique Orange
- DL4: Levi Drake Rodriguez
- DL5: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
- DL6: Taki Taimani
- DL7: Elijah Williams
- DL8: Eric Johnson II (a.k.a. “The Creature“)
Other players exist within the hierarchy, but those are the current top names to know. So, too, is there the option to bring in a veteran such as Christian Wilkins.
In the meantime, Johnson is the elder statesman in that defensive line room. He offers good size at 6’4″ and 320 pounds, continuing the trend of adding mean muscle to the trenches. He got into the NFL back in 2022, chosen in the 5th of what is considered one of the all-time whiffs in franchise history: a 2022 draft haul that made a mess of basically every pick.
Oct 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) celebrates his sack in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesTurning pro hasn’t been particularly smooth for Eric Johnson.
The veteran has played in 51 games but has yet to earn a start. Only a single sack has been added to his overall tally. Johnson’s tackles come in at 41 across his four seasons. The Vikings, in other words, likely didn’t find the next version of Alan Page, John Randle, or Kevin Williams.
Right now, there’s quite a bit of attention going toward the Jauan Jennings meeting alongside the recently-launched GM search. Even within all of the various things that are going on, the Vikings continue to chip away at the roster.
Eric Johnson is likely to be a depth option if he makes the roster, but he’s facing an uphill battle to be among the final 53. The roster still has some open spots that need to get filled, so stay tuned.