Minnesota Vikings offered Michael Johnson a "lucrative" deal

Michael Johnson's visit with the Minnesota Vikings has finally concluded and there was a contract offer that has been described as "lucrative". Front office officials met with Johnson at a Minneapolis hotel Saturday morning to make one final pitch. And just prior to stepping onto an airplane that's departing for CVG, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer called and asked him to stay. Johnson is scheduled to meet with the Bengals on Sunday.

Obviously Johnson has a strong connection with Mike Zimmer, his former defensive coordinator for five seasons while in Cincinnati. "If (Zimmer) wasn't up here, I wouldn't have thought twice about coming," Johnson said to Vikings beat writer Chris Tomasson on Saturday. "He's got that type of pull. He can have me doing whatever and I'll play my tail off.''

Johnson has a significant pull with the Bengals and the city of Cincinnati, from the bond that he created with former teammates to the city in general.

"He’s got a lot of friends, not team-related, in the community,’’ said CBS and NFL analyst Solomon Wilcots, a former Bengals and Vikings defensive back who lives in Cincinnati and is close to Johnson.

The former third-round draft pick from the 2009 NFL draft said that he expects to make his decision by Monday, with a debate between his former coach and his former teammates.