Former Dallas County High School standout Michael Johnson had played in 126 games with the Cincinnati Bengals. But young talent at his position and his $4.5 million salary for the 2018 season conspired to cost the defensive end his spot on the Bengals after nine seasons.
Johnson was among the more than 1,100 players waived or released by NFL teams over the past two days as they reduced their 90-player preseason rosters to meet the league maximum of 53 with the kickoff to the 2018 season set for Thursday night.
Among those players were 54 from Alabama high schools and colleges.