The Redskins just found their veteran punter to compete with the raw Zac Atterberry, signing veteran Dirk Johnson.
The 33-year-old Johnson averaged 41.8 yards gross and 35.2 net last season for the NFC champion Cardinals, his fourth team since he finally caught on in the league with New Orleans in 2002 at 27. But the team released him after a Week 13 loss to Philadelphia; he averaged 36.3 yards per kick in that game.
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Johnson, who has career averages of 41.7 gross and 35.9 net, has never had any of his 320 punts blocked. He has also punted for Philadelphia and Chicago.
Whoever wins the competition to succeed the released Ryan Plackemeier would also be expected to serve as the holder for kicker Shaun Suisham (Johnson held for Neil Rackers before his release last season). The Redskins cut 3-year incumbent punter Derrick Frost last summer in favor of rookie draft pick Durant Brooks, who was waived in October and replaced by Plackemeier.
A couple links of note:
- Johnson listed as one of the disappointments of the Cardinals’ season (link here)
- Profile on the punter from early in the offseason of 2008 from the AZ Republic (link here)
- David Elfin
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