Minnesota's Charles Johnson is a 'different' type of WR
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Charles Johnson of the Minnesota Vikings is not your average NFL wide receiver. His unique look makes him an easy player to pick out of the pack.
"Charles Johnson -- Mohawk, blond hair, nose ring. He's his own guy," wide receivers coach George Stewart said, via ESPN's Ben Goessling. "As long as he fits within the confines of our team structure, I dig that about him. He's going to be a team guy, but at the same time, he's his own guy. That's confidence."
The confidence started paying off in the form of production last season. Picked up off the Cleveland Browns' practice squad in September, Johnson played 12 games (six starts) for the Vikings and caught 31 passes for 475 yards and two touchdowns.
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An unusual path for an unusual guy.
"I like to tell people, 'It's OK to be different. You don't have to be like everybody else,'" he said, per ESPN. "What they think is cool doesn't make it cool. I pride myself on being different. Being like everybody else, you're only going to get overshadowed."
This year, Johnson -- a 26-year-old who paints his toenails and has two fashion lines, according to ESPN -- will compete for pass targets with Mike Wallace and Cordarrelle Patterson.
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(h/t ESPN)