Tom Johnson of the Vikings is one of the NFL’s most improved defenders

Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson (92) celebrates after sacking Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson (92) celebrates after sacking Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Tom Johnson was mentioned as one of the 15 most improved defensive players in 2016.

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson was recently mentioned by Pro Football Focus in an article released on Monday March 29th, 2017 naming him as one of the NFL’s most improved defenders.

The article named the 3 most improved players for cornerback, safety, linebacker, edge rusher, and interior defender. Johnson came in third place for the interior defensive lineman. It is noteworthy that these rankings are based on Pro Football Focus performance grades.

They ended up giving his 2016 season a score of 72.7. Almost a 25 point increase over his 2015 score of 48.0. This is what they said about Johnson.

"“Johnson’s career, statistically, has been a roller-coaster ride. Every year since 2011, he has experienced an increase in PFF grade followed a decrease. Because it was an even year, Johnson was on the upswing and had himself a relatively solid 2016 season.”"

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Johnson’s statistics since 2011 are not as drastic as the website claims. In fact, his 2015 statistics are better in certain areas. In 2015 he compiled 25 tackles, compared to 11 in 2016. Likewise he made 5.5 sacks in 2015, compared to only 2 in 2016. For a trench position like defensive tackle, stats do not tell the entire story. Because of that, performance grade is an excellent indicator of where he is at as a player.

Who ranked above Johnson for the interior defenders?

The two players that ranked higher than him were Cullen Jenkins of the Redskins and Abry Jones of the Jaguars. The article continued to say this about Johnson.

"“He is no different from the other two interior defenders above him, in that his improvement in play was a result of his increased production in the run game. Known more as an interior pass-rusher, Vikings fans hope he can break his up-and-down trend and put it all together for his best season yet in his upcoming contract year.”"

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If Tom Johnson continues to play at a high level he will add a much-needed element to the Minnesota Vikings defense. With defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd’s inconsistent play and constant injuries, the team may find themselves relying on Tom Johnson in the middle once again. With that in mind, it is excellent news to see he is improving. Watching his progress next season will be interesting.

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