National Football League

Vikings sign free agent DT Tom Johnson

Published Mar. 20, 2014 5:51 p.m. ET

foxsports

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Vikings have signed defensive tackle Tom Johnson.

The deal was done Thursday. The 29-year-old Johnson spent the last three seasons as a backup with the New Orleans Saints, playing in 40 games plus four more contests in the playoffs while totaling five sacks.

Johnson started his pro career in 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi, but he was cut by the Indianapolis Colts. Then he spent time in NFL Europe, the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League before finally appearing in an NFL game in 2011.

The addition of Johnson, likely to backup last year's top draft pick Sharrif Floyd, will probably mean the end of an 11-season run in Minnesota by Kevin Williams, who became a free agent.