Giants meet with DE Charles Johnson, also interested in Mario Williams
Charles Johnson of the Carolina Panthers looks on prior to the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Bank of America Stadium on Jan. 17, 2016 in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: Getty Images / Jamie Squire
The Giants seem to be in a rush to get themselves a pass rusher. Free agency doesn’t officially begin until Wednesday, but they already are looking at some veteran defensive ends who were released last week.
After a meeting with Charles Johnson on Sunday, the Giants were trying to nail down a visit with former No. 1 overall draft pick Mario Williams in New Jersey, a source confirmed.
Williams reportedly also is receiving interest from the Jaguars and is coming off a two-day visit to the Dolphins that did not result in a contract offer.
NFL Network first reported the Williams meeting.
Williams, 31, signed what was then the largest contract for a defensive player four years ago when he agreed with the Bills after starting his career with the Texans.
He was released by the Bills last week after an unproductive season with only five sacks, a number that would have been second most on the sack-deficient Giants in 2015.
Returning to the 4-3 scheme the Giants run — as opposed to Rex Ryan’s 3-4 system in Buffalo — could reinvigorate Williams’ career. He had 38 sacks in his first three seasons in Buffalo.
Johnson, 29, had only one sack for the Panthers in 2015 and played only nine games because of a hamstring injury, but he has 63 1⁄2 career sacks. He also was a captain for the Panthers. He is not expected to be signed by the Giants at this time.
Because they were released, Johnson nor Williams do not have to wait until Wednesday to sign with a new team.
Johnson and Williams could be insurance if the Giants are unable to resign Jason Pierre-Paul and Robert Ayers Jr., their top two defensive ends, who are poised to hit the open market. As of Monday afternoon, the Giants lose their exclusive rights to negotiate with them as well as their other free agents when the league opens its “legal tampering” window for two days.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
