The Minnesota Vikings announced on Twitter Monday, December 12, 2016 that they have signed defensive tackle Toby Johnson to the team’s main roster.
Earlier today, the Minnesota Vikings announced that they have given up hope on defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and finally placed him on injured reserve, ending any chance he could return during the 2016 season.
Of course, this means that there was an open spot on the roster to fill. The Vikings did just that, announcing on their official Twitter account that they filled the spot with another strong defensive tackle.
Here was the official announcement as shared on the official Twitter account of the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, December 12, 2016:
We have signed Toby Johnson (@Future020113SEC) to the active roster and placed @sharriffloyd on IR.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 12, 2016
📰: https://t.co/qqySN2vVas pic.twitter.com/TBQMMRFrw4
At first, Vikings fans may not remember Toby Johnson since he hasn’t made a mark during a regular season contest. However, he was one of the standouts from preseason, with his strong style of play and excellent motion for a big man.
Perhaps the most memorable moment from Johnson this preseason was a diving interception he made after a pass was tipped by Justin Trattou during the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter with less than a minute to go before halftime.
Check out the awesome play right here from the Vikings Media Vault on YouTube:
This signing adds more depth to a defensive line that already has a lot of firepower. Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, Brian Robison, Linval Joseph, Shamar Stephen, Tom Johnson, and others have made this unit one of the most dangerous in the NFL, and adding Toby Johnson to the mix can only be a good thing.
While it is a touch surprising not to see an additional offensive tackle being brought in, the Vikings are obviously going for talent over need when filling the spot left vacant by placing Floyd on injured reserve.
Next: Vikings place Sharrif Floyd on IR
Best of luck to Toby Johnson on joining the Minnesota Vikings main roster. Also, The Viking Age would like to extend our best wishes to Sharrif Floyd for a full recovery this offseason so he can return and be a dominant force in the middle for 2017.