The Cleveland Browns doubled down on their commitment to fixing the offensive line with their first move of the free agency tampering period. Days after trading for right tackle Tytus Howard, they've now reached an agreement with veteran guard Zion Johnson.
The Browns will reportedly sign him to a three-year deal worth $49.5 million with $32.4 million fully guaranteed, though that won't be official until the new league year arrives on Wednesday.
That's the type of money that's usually reserved for starters, so this move hints at the team's intentions with the former Los Angeles Chargers first-round selection.
More than that, it might also shed light on Joel Bitonio's plans. The veteran left guard is contemplating retirement, and this shows the Browns might not feel confident in his potential return in 2026.
The Browns may know they're about to lose Joel Bitonio
Bitonio has spent his entire 12-year career in Cleveland. As such, the expectation was that he would either retire or run it back with the Browns.
He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday via an adjusted void date in his contract, and could technically sign with any team if the Browns fail to sign him to an extension. He deserves to have an opportunity to play meaningful games after years of stellar play in Cleveland, so perhaps he's leaning in that direction.
Landing ex-#Chargers 1st round guard Zion Johnson was the #Browns' top priority as they headed into the negotiating period today. They now have at least 2 o-line spots filled -- and this doesn't mean that Joel Bitonio isn't coming back. He's still deciding: --> https://t.co/loCFZKvstc
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 9, 2026
Johnson clearly isn't the same top-tier left guard the Browns had with Bitonio. In fact, his Pro Football Focus grade of 57 ranked 53rd among 81 eligible guards. His pass-block grade (60.6, 49th) and his run-block grade (53.4, 64th) also left plenty to be desired.
That said, he's young and athletic, and Browns consultant Tom Telesco actually drafted him for the Chargers in 2022, so he's more than familiar with his character and work ethic. More than that, he's as durable as they come, missing only two games in his four-year career.
Johnson played 1,070 snaps at left guard and one snap at right guard last season, so he will probably be slotted at left guard in Cleveland. However, he did enter the league as a right guard, and with Wyatt Teller bound to leave in free agency, there's a chance that the Browns got him as a stopgap at that spot, with Bitonio holding down the fort on the left side of the offensive line.
Still, that might not be much more than wishful thinking at this point. Bitonio admitted that he was close to walking away last season, and while he agreed to push back his decision date this offseason because he still hadn't made up his mind, this move was quite telling.
The Browns have reportedly been in close communication with Bitonio throughout the course of the offseason, with new head coach Todd Monken even trying to convince him to stay. Now, watching them sign a left guard with their very first major move of free agency, especially at that reported price tag? That may signal the beginning of the end of the Joel Bitonio era in Cleveland.