The Dallas Cowboys have signed former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson but he’ll not see any game action until half-way through the regular season as he is still serving an NFL eight-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy and the probation on a gun charge.

“For a lot of reasons, he really just felt the Cowboys were the right fit … He’s so thankful to them for giving him this opportunity. He is very determined to prove they made a wise decision in believing in him.” Jerrold Colton, Johnson’s agent, said to the Associated Press.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but according to a source familiar with the negotiations, Johnson agreed to a two-year deal annually worth the league minimum of 510,000 dollars. Tank could also earn big bucks in incentives next season, although he did not receive a signing bonus.

The Dallas Cowboys signed Johnson to solve their defensive problems after 10-year veteran Jason Ferguson was injured (torn biceps) in the first half of their season-opening win over the Giants. Ferguson won’t be able to play for the rest of the season.

The former Chicago Bears defensive tackle must serve six more games of the suspension handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

There was a possibility of reducing the suspension to six games, but is unlikely that commissioner Goodell will accept that after Johnson was pulled over in June for driving while impair, although those charges were dropped. After this incident the Chicago Bears had enough of it and released Tank on June 25.

If the suspension is maintained, the earliest Johnson could play for the Cowboys would be November 11 against the New York Giants. If Goodell decides to reduce it, Tank could play on October 21 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Tanks’ run-ins with the law

The 25-year-old defensive tackle served half of his four-month sentence for violating his probation on a 2005 weapons conviction and was released from Cook County Jail on May 13.

The 25-year-old was detained by police in Gilbert, Ariz. at 3:30 a.m. Friday for speeding and suspicion of driving under the influence. He was stopped for driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone.

But the DUI was just the last straw. In November 2005 Johnson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun possession charge. He was arrested on December 14 after police raided his home and found three handguns, three rifles and more than 500 rounds of ammunition.

Two days later, he got in trouble again in a Chicago nightclub when his bodyguard and housemate, Willie B. Posey, was killed by gunfire. Tank needed special permission to travel out of Illinois to play in the Super Bowl in Miami on February 4.