DE Charles Johnson: Conversation With Jerry Reese Led Me To Re-Sign With Panthers

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Jerry Reese's recruiting methods sound like they could use some work.

The Giants general manager offered free agent defensive end Charles Johnson a contract -- reportedly for one year, $6 million -- but after having a conversation with Reese, Johnson opted to accept half that money to return to Carolina.

MORE: NFL Free Agency Tracker

Johnson told Panthers.com he asked Reese if he would ever leave the Giants to accept a job with another team for more money.

Reese gave an honest answer -- perhaps too honest.

"He started as an intern there and now he's the GM for the Giants," Johnson said of Reese. "He saw everything that happened -- championships and all that. He said he wouldn't trade that for the world. When he said that, I just thought to myself, 'I've been here the longest. And all I've asked for is an opportunity. So how can I turn away from my team and the family that's in Charlotte – how can I turn away?'

"That overweighed everything," added Johnson, who was drafted by Carolina in 2007. "I wanted to be happy, and I literally couldn't imagine signing with them. This place raised me."

So the Giants' search for a pass rusher continues. They've already reach an agreement to re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul and are reportedly setting their sights on Miami's Olivier Vernon.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.