Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson has always been known as a hard-nosed defender despite his size.
Thanks to Pro Football Focus, that’s just a fact now.
According to the football analytics outlet, the nickel cornerback for the Bills has had the most defensive stops for his position in the entire NFL over the past two seasons combined:
Cornerbacks with the most defensive stops since 2020
Taron Johnson: 71
Kenny Moore: 67
Mike Hilton/L’Jarius Sneed: 57 pic.twitter.com/knh9Ba8Ahy
— PFF BUF Bills (@PFF_Bills) May 18, 2022
On most NFL teams, a nickel cornerback is not a starting job. But the role Johnson plays in Buffalo’s defense cannot be described that way.
He fills a huge, starting spot in the middle of Sean McDermott’s defense. Instead of rolling with three linebackers, it’s two (Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano) and Johnson.
Johnson did have a bit of a slow start in his career, but his improvements have not gone unnoticed. That’s why the Bills signed him to an extension in October 2021.
Along with his NFL leading 71 defensive stops over the past two years, in his career, Johnson has notched 22 passes defended, forced four fumbles and three interceptions.
Not included in that is his massive postseason interception against the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, which iced the game and sent the Bills to the AFC Championship game.
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