The Cleveland Browns had to attack their needs on the offensive line during the early portion of the NFL free agency period in order to set the stage for the rest of their offseason. With the unit needing a total rebuild, the more progress they could make, the better chance they would have to address other needs later on.
They actually began the project before the negotiating window opened, acquiring Tytus Howard in a trade with the Houston Texans and giving him a contract extension. The Browns then signed free agents Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins, and re-signed Teven Jenkins.
All of the moves come with some level of risk. But one in particular has been questioned more than the others.
Analyst Gary Davenport said he believes the Browns overpaid for Johnson, a free agent guard they signed away from the Los Angeles Chargers, who has not yet lived up to his status as a first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft.
“There may not be a position group in the entire NFL that has undergone a more thorough overhaul in free agency than the offensive line in Cleveland. The team traded for tackle Tytus Howard. Signed former Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins to play center. And gave former first-round pick Zion Johnson over $30 million in guarantees to come play guard. Johnson is admittedly still young, and the Browns appear to be gambling on that first-round potential. But while injuries at tackle certainly played a role in the Chargers having a dreadful offensive line last year, so did the fact that Johnson was one of the worst starting guards in the league,” Davenport wrote.
There is always a good chance to spend too much on a player in free agency, especially when it’s at an obvious position of need. The hope is that at some point, he will outperform the contract, or at least provide enough of a contribution that it is not a total waste of money.
Johnson received a three-year deal reportedly worth $49.5 million, with $32.5 million guaranteed. It is worth noting that the Chargers had a contract option available for him but did not exercise it, in part because of their salary cap situation, making him a free agent after his fourth NFL season.
With Los Angeles, Johnson had the fifth-lowest pass-block win rate among all NFL guards, according to ESPN, but he did have the second-best run-block win rate at the position. If Cleveland can get the 26-year-old to improve the poor side without losing anything from the good side, Johnson may turn out to be a bargain instead.
The Browns weren’t going to perfectly solve all their problems with each signing, but having their investments pay off in some way is necessary for a turnaround.
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