Report: Will Johnson says Giants plan to release him

You had to figure fullback/tight end Will Johnson was not going to be a member of the New York Giants much longer when the team gave Rhett Ellison, who plays that identical role, a four-year, $18 million contract with $8 million guaranteed on Thursday. Johnson told NJ Advance Media Thursday night that the Giants plan to release him.

Johnson was signed to a two-year deal before the 2016 season with the idea that he would be the blocking tight end the Giants so desperately needed. That did not happen as he ended up on IR due to a burner. Johnson told NJ Advance Media he felt he could have played last season, but doctors advised against doing so due to nerve damage he had suffered.

Factoring in the Top 51 rule, which will add the salary of a low-paid player to what counts against the cap when Johnson is officially released, the Giants stand to gainonly $610K in cap space.

"When they sign a guy to do your role, I don't know what their plans are, but that kind of put the writing on the wall there," Johnson told NJ Advance Media.

Johnson said he has been told the Giants might want him back on a veteran minimum deal, but that “I plan to shop around.”