Browns $49.5 million free agent contract bashed by ESPN as overpay

Coming off the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns had some major work to do on the offensive side of the ball. While wide receiver was a big need, nothing was more important than the offensive line.

Essentially, all of their starters are leaving, and the Browns needed to replace those departing players. They've made four moves this offseason, adding Tytus Howard, Elgton Jenkins, Teven Jenkins, and their big free agent addition, Zion Johnson.

While they're rebuilding their offensive line, ESPN analyst Ben Solak is not a fan of the Johnson $49.5 million signing. He bashed the deal, calling it an overpay for the Browns to bring the Los Angeles Chargers guard to Cleveland in free agency.

Browns bashed for Zion Johnson addition by ESPN

"Johnson was always going to get a sizeable deal because of his age (only 26), durability, and athletic profile," Solak writes. "But the Browns shouldn't have been the team to give it to him; they are not a guard away."

Johnson's $49.5 million three-year contract isn't a small one. This big deal for Johnson is not one that Solak likes. He believes it's an overpay, and not just because the Browns need a whole lot more than a top guard.

"The most likely outcome here is that Johnson can't elevate the shaky offensive line play around him (just as he struggled to do in Los Angeles)," Solak writes, "and the browns continue to have pass protection issues across the board."

In Solak's mind, the four major Browns offensive line additions, in Johnson, Howard, and the Jenkins brothers, won't be enough to turn the offensive line around next year.

More: Zion Johnson agrees to $49.5 million contract with Browns

While Johnson isn't the best guard the Browns could've signed, he is younger and has shown some upside. But, in reality, the $49.5 million deal, or $16.5 million per-year, is too much compared to others around the league.

Alijah Vera-Tucker has an AAV of $14M per-year, while John Simpson, Braden Smith, and Tyler Biadsz all got around $10 million per-year. And Cade Mays got just $8.3 million from the Detroit Lions.

The Browns' spending so much on Johnson, a flawed offensive lineman, is an overpay in the eyes of Solak.

But, with how badly Cleveland needs offensive line help, and the pull of their organization not being the greatest, this overpay might be the cost of doing business for the Browns.

More Browns news:

• Rasheed Walker linked to Cleveland amid $80 million contract projection
• ESPN does not like Tytus Howard trade for Cleveland
• Browns trade for offensive tackle Tytus Howard from Texans
• Cornelius Lucas released to save $2M by Browns
• Browns agree to deals with Elgton Jenkins and Teven Jenkins
• Devin Bush leaves Browns for Bears on $30 million contract