Packers Terminate Contract of Massive 320-Pound Defender

The Green Bay Packers terminated the practice-squad contract of defensive tackle Eric Johnson II on Monday, one of four official roster moves announced after the NFL transaction wire processed the team’s latest changes.

The corresponding transactions were built around the offensive line. Green Bay signed veteran guard Laken Tomlinson to the 53-man roster from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, added former first-round pick Mekhi Becton to the Packers’ practice squad, and placed offensive lineman Zach Bako-Bewele on injured reserve.

Johnson’s release opened the practice-squad spot used for Becton.

Johnson’s stay in Green Bay was brief. The Packers signed the 6-foot-4, 299-pound interior lineman to the practice squad on Sept. 16, two days after they had an open defensive-line slot following earlier midseason movement. He never appeared in a regular-season game for Green Bay.

Originally a fifth-round pick (No. 159 overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2022 draft out of Missouri State, Johnson has built a journeyman résumé as a rotational tackle and special-teams contributor.

He has played for the Colts in two separate stints (2022–23 and 2025) and spent 2024 with the New England Patriots.

This offseason, he signed with Minnesota, was released, briefly joined Atlanta, and was cut again before Green Bay brought him in. Career totals entering the week: 51 games, 41 tackles, one sack, three quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery.

The Packers are 1-2 and fourth in the NFC North, so Monday’s paper was less about a defensive overhaul than about protecting the offensive front.

Tomlinson, 34, is a former first-round pick with extensive starting experience for Detroit, San Francisco, the Jets, Seattle, Houston, and most recently Dallas’ practice squad.

Becton gives Green Bay another massive body with starting pedigree after injuries forced another interior-line adjustment. Johnson, signed as depth insurance, became the odd man out.

Practice-squad releases rarely carry dead-cap pain, and Johnson remains free to sign with another club.

For a veteran who has already bounced among five organizations in five seasons, that path is familiar. Green Bay, meanwhile, used the transaction to add two experienced guards in one day and park an injured lineman on IR.

The wire made the sequence official Monday: Tomlinson on the active roster, Becton on the practice squad, Bako-Bewele to injured reserve, and Johnson’s practice-squad contract terminated.

Four moves, one clear priority—keep the offensive line stocked—and a short Packers chapter closed for Johnson.