Former Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson to join division rival Raiders

Former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson will sign with the? Raiders, Oakland coach Jon Gruden said Friday.?

The Chiefs announced on Feb. 13 that they would not re-sign Johnson, who spent 13 seasons with the team. Johnson said in a statement that he plans "on playing for several more years."

"He brings us status at a critical position," Gruden said. "Getting a guy like Derrick Johnson could be big for us."

Johnson lost some of his playing time last season after the Chiefs acquired two younger inside linebackers, Reggie Ragland and Kevin Pierre-Louis.

Johnson, 35, was the Chiefs' first-round draft pick in 2005. He was the longest-tenured Chiefs player along with punter Dustin Colquitt, who arrived in the same draft two rounds later.

Johnson stayed with the Chiefs through five head coaches and four general managers. He was a steady presence at inside linebacker, equally adept at defending the run and the pass. He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl four times and was a first-team All-Pro in 2011.

He twice returned from a torn Achilles tendon -- suffering season-ending injuries in the 2014 opener and again late in the 2016 season.

The move was first reported by NFL Network.