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Broncos' A.J. Johnson Sees First Game Action Since 2014

DENVER (CBS4/247 SPORTS) - Up until Saturday night, it had been 1,372 days since A.J. Johnson of the Denver Broncos appeared in a football game.

A.J. Johnson
A.J. Johnson (credit: CBS)

But that streak is now over after he played in Saturday night's preseason game against the Bears. He recorded his first tackle in the second half on a special teams play.

A former starter and two-time All-SEC selection with the Tennessee Volunteers, Johnson hasn't played since Nov. 15, 2014. His budding career came to a screeching halt when he and a Tennessee teammate, Michael Williams, were accused of rape. Both players were indicted in February 2015 after a woman said the men raped her during a party at Johnson's apartment in the early morning hours of Nov. 16, 2014. They were suspended from the team less than 48 hours later.

A.J. Johnson
A.J. Johnson of the Tennessee Volunteers (credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Last month, a jury acquitted Johnson and Williams on aggravated rape charges nearly three-and-a-half years after the allegations surfaced.

The Broncos moved quickly, inking Johnson to a free-agent contract on Monday, a move preceded by several days of due diligence. Head coach Vance Joseph and John Elway worked him out last weekend and president Joe Ellis met with the 6-foot-2, 255-pound defender. They were pleased with the results of their background check, reportedly giving Johnson $50,000 in guarantees -- a team record for a rookie signing.

"Once we heard the verdict and it came back—we knew we liked him back three years ago. Once everything happened the way it fell and he was innocent, we went back through the process and got him, and were hoping to be able to land him here. We're thrilled we did," Elway said Thursday in his post-training-camp press conference.

Based on his guaranteed money and revealing comments from a usually tight-lipped Elway, it appears Johnson has a future in Denver. That he's not simply a preseason body.

"He's a great kid. I think he'll be a great addition here," Elway said. "He's a guy where obviously it's going to take some time. When you haven't played for three and a half years it takes a little bit of time. He's a guy that was very talented coming out."

Johnson will compete with Joseph Jones, Zaire Anderson and Keishawn Bierria for snaps behind starting ILBs Brandon Marshall and Todd Davis, and fourth-round rookie Josey Jewell. The Broncos won't carry more than five inside 'backers, tops, on the 53-man roster, so he must impress between now and cut-down day to secure a spot, or risk being plopped on the practice squad.

"It's going to take some time," defensive coordinator Joe Woods said Tuesday. "I had a very good meeting with him when he came in yesterday. The one thing in having a conversation with him that I noticed right away is he is extremely smart. He understands football and he's chomping at the bit to get back involved in it. I'm very excited, but we have to be patient with him, teach him the defense, work [him into the] squad and just see how he develops."

Zack Kelberman of 247 Sports contributed to this article.

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