Commanders cornerback Danny Johnson is glad to be back with Washington.
Age 27, Johnson has spent some time on the Washington roster in each of the last five seasons (2018-22). With Benjamin St-Juste fighting injuries, Johnson started four games during the 2022 season. Johnson collected his first career interception and sack.
Danny Johnson’s first career INT is a big one!
Vikings 7, Commanders 3 at half pic.twitter.com/HGjBtckDDT
— NBC Sports Commanders (@NBCSCommanders) November 6, 2022
This week, Johnson signed a 2-year, $5,000,000 contract with the Commanders, including a $1,750,000 signing bonus, $2,750,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,500,000.
This week he had the opportunity to briefly sit down with former Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot to discuss his new contract and return to the Commanders in 2023. Here are some excerpts of the discussion.
“It’s exciting to just have the weight lifted off your shoulder,” said Johnson. I’m excited to be back, and I’m ready to get back to work.”
“Coming from a school like Southern University, which is HBCU, you always have your back against the wall and just be willing to fight. I just take advantage of every opportunity I had.”
“Knowing what I was capable of and just presenting the opportunity to go out and make plays, (I want) to help the team however. I would just do whatever I could to show them that I wanted to be here, play for the organization.”
Johnson has had to battle mentally the rigors of being on the practice squad, active roster and back to the Practice Squad. “Injuries happen, players go down. Whatever the situation may be, I just try to stay in those meetings and stay locked in, and when my number is called, just be ready to go out there and play.”
“Starting those last few games, I showed I can go out there and play with confidence and just play, whether it was inside or outside, just wherever they need me.”