The Green Bay Packers are making moves on their practice squad, scooping up defensive lineman Eric Johnson II after releasing receiver Chris Hilton Jr. This isn’t just a random signing; it fills a critical gap that opened up faster than you can say “touchdown,” and Johnson’s background makes him a super interesting pickup.
Johnson’s Athletic Freak Score and Packers’ Past Interest
This dude has a history with the Packers, going all the way back to 2022 when he was a pre-draft visitor. Even though the Indianapolis Colts snatched him up in the fifth round that year, Green Bay clearly had an eye on him. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why once you look at his numbers. Johnson dropped a ridiculous 9.39 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of a possible 10.00. That’s no joke. To put it in perspective, that ranked him 90th out of 1459 defensive tackles evaluated from 1987 to 2022! We’re talking about an elite athlete, the kind of guy who just pops off the charts. Getting a player with that kind of raw athletic talent on your practice squad? That’s a serious win.
The Practice Squad Panic and Johnson’s Journeyman Grit
Why now, though? Well, the Packers suddenly found themselves with zero bodies on the defensive line for their practice squad, thanks to some real tough luck. Nazir Stackhouse got claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans, and then Jaden Crumedy got poached by the Houston Texans. Losing two guys like that in quick succession leaves you scrambling, and that’s exactly where Johnson comes in. This isn’t his first rodeo, either. He’s played 51 regular season games in his NFL career, clocking 40 with the Colts and another 11 with the New England Patriots. We’re talking 700 defensive snaps and 132 special teams snaps, mostly on field goal block. This is Johnson’s fourth NFL team, having also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings and, get this, the Atlanta Falcons during training camp , which is pretty wild considering the Falcons are the Packers’ Week 3 Thursday Night Football opponent. This guy knows the grind, and the Packers need that experience ASAP.
Johnson was just one of eight players who worked out for the Packers this week, including three interior defensive linemen, three wide receivers, a quarterback, and an international edge defender. It wouldn’t be a shocker if the rest of those practice squad spots are filled by Wednesday’s practice. But for now, getting a player with Johnson’s athletic profile and regular season experience is a solid move for a team needing to shore up its depth.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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