.jpg)
16 hours ago
4
The Cleveland Browns did a whole makeover of their offensive line this offseason.
One of the players they brought in with hopes of making a difference was free agent Zion Johnson, who signed a three-year contract for $49.5 million.
There's a chance that was a massive overpay.
In a new article on Thursday, ESPN's Bill Barnwell calls the Johnson signing the "worst move" the Browns made this offseason.
"Though 2025 was Johnson's best season as a pro, that might be damning him with faint praise," Barnwell writes. "The Boston College product has struggled badly in pass protection on the interior and routinely gets outmuscled or outleveraged by bigger players. He gave up seven sacks and 19 quick pressures a year ago, both of which were the most of any Chargers lineman. And Johnson did that while blocking one-on-one at about a league-average rate in pass protection among guards."
MORE: Saints have 4 options of what to do with Alvin Kamara
Cleveland had some existing needs on the line and created more for themselves by doing a wholesale shift up front.
Johnson was a fine target, but the Browns may have overpaid based on potential rather than proven ability.
"The Browns are paying Johnson to be a player he hasn't been yet at the pro level and hoping that he lives up to their expectations," Barnwell writes. "That's not typically a good strategy."
As Cleveland fans can attest to, this would not be the first time the Browns have made a mistake.
But given that their QB play is already a big question mark in 2026, having a shaky offensive line to protect their passers makes this have even more potentially negative consequences.
English (US)