PRO CAREER – Jaleel Johnson returns to New Orleans for his sixth NFL campaign. Originally a fourth round draft pick (109th overall) of the Minnesota Vikings out of Iowa in 2017, Johnson's played in 65 regular season games with 20 starts for the Vikings (2017-20) and Houston Texans (2021), posting 110 tackles (54 solo), 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In 2021, after going to training camp with the Texans and spending the Week One of the regular season on the Saints practice squad, he appeared in 12 games for Houston and recorded 23 stops (11 solo) and a fumble recovery. In 2020, he started all 16 games in his final season with the Vikings and posted a career-high 44 stops (22 solo) and 1.5 sacks.
TRANSACTIONS – Agreed to terms with the Saints on a one-year contract (UFA-HOU), 4/4/22; Activated from Reserve/COVID-19, 12/29/21; Placed on Reserve/COVID-19, 12/21/21; Signed to the Texans active roster from Saints practice squad, 9/15/21; Signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad, 9/6/21; Released by the Texans, 8/31/21; Signed by the Houston Texans (UFA-MIN), 4/8/21; Signed to a four-year contract by the Vikings, 5/10/18; Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
2021 – Played in 12 games in his only season as a Texan after spending the preseason with Houston and Week One of the regular season on the Saints practice squad, totaling 23 tackles (11 solo) and his first career fumble recovery…Appeared in his first game as a Texan at Cleveland, Sept. 19…Logged his first tackle as a Texan vs. Carolina, Sept. 23…Tallied three solo tackles and recorded his first career fumble recovery vs. New England, Oct. 10…Recorded three tackles and his first quarterback hit of the season at Tennessee, Nov. 21…Notched season-high four tackles (two solo) vs. the N.Y. Jets, Nov. 28…Posted one solo tackle and one stop for loss at Jacksonville, Dec. 19. 2020 – Started all 16 games for the first time in his career in his final season with the Vikings, and notched a single-season career-high 44 total tackles (22 solo), while also adding 1.5 sacks…Recorded six tackles (four solo) at Indianapolis, Sept. 20…Tallied three total tackles and a split sack vs. Atlanta, Oct. 18…Logged a season-high seven total tackles (three solo) and his first full sack of the year vs. Dallas, Nov. 22. 2019 – Appeared in all 16 games with three starts and set single season career high in sacks (3.5)…Made his second start of the season and contributed a season-best six total tackles (three solo) while also adding 1.0 sack vs. Denver, Nov. 17…Posted 1.0 sack in the second quarter of Week 15 which marked consecutive games with a sack for the first time in his career vs. Detroit, Dec. 8…Sacked L.A. Chargers QB Philip Rivers for a nine-yard loss, Dec. 15. 2018 – Saw action in all 16 games with one start and logged 13 total tackles (six solo), a split sack, and one forced fumble…Recorded a season-high four total tackles (two solo) and also added a split sack in his lone start of the season at the N.Y. Jets, Oct. 21…Forced his first career fumble on Bears RB Tarik Cohen in the fourth quarter at Chicago, Nov. 18. 2017 – Played in five regular season games and two postseason contests as rookie for the Vikings, contributing an assisted tackle vs. Green Bay, Oct. 15…Saw action in first NFL game at Chicago, Oct. 9.
COLLEGE CAREER – Played four seasons (2013-16) at the Iowa after redshirting his freshman season (2012)…Earned first-team All-Big Ten honors senior season (2016) after totaling 55 tackles (29 solo), 10 stops for loss and 8.0 sacks…Received Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors by the league coaches and media following his junior season (2013) when he tallied 45 tackles (22 solo), 5.5 stops for loss and 4.0 sacks in 14 games…Received an increased role during his sophomore campaign (2012) as he appeared in all 13 games and notched 11 total tackles (two solo), with 2.5 stops for loss and 1.0 sack…Appeared in seven games as a freshman (2013)…Redshirted his first year as a Hawkeye in 2012…Graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology.
PERSONAL – Attended Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.) HS for his senior year after spending his first three years at St. Joseph's (Westchester, Ill.) HS…Earned prep All-American honors and first-team All-State recognition as a senior…Was a team captain and played both offensive and defensive line as his team went 12-2 en route to winning the state championship Also wrestled at St. Joseph's, earning two letters…Born on July 12, 1994 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
