Lions agree to trade George Johnson to Bucs

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Detroit Lions have decided to trade defensive end George Johnson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rather than try to meet the terms of their offer sheet, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 

The Bucs and Lions will swap late-round picks to complete the deal.  The trade is still pending league approval. 

Johnson signed a three-year, $9 million offer sheet with the Bucs last week, but the Lions contested terms of the deal, which included de-escalators. 

Johnson is a five-year NFL veteran who has never started an NFL game.  He had six sacks with the Lions last season.