In the NFL, the offensive line is a lot like most kinds of insurance. No one wants to pay for it, but you've got to bite the bullet — it's the responsible thing to do. Teams have to protect their quarterback, and sometimes it gets expensive. What's more, many coaches have grumbled that offensive linemen are even harder to develop these days with the way padded practices are limited and the college game does little to prepare them for the next level.
It's a recipe for supposed overpays. The Browns had little choice this offseason. Much has been written about the truly rare mass exodus of their offensive line following the 2025 season. Gone are Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, Ethan Pocic, Jack Conklin, Cam Robinson, and Cornelius Lucas. Reinforcements were brought in with veterans Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson, and Elgton Jenkins, as well as rookies Spencer Fano, Austin Barber, and Parker Brailsford.
It was the Zion Johnson signing, in particular, that drew ESPN's ire. Bill Barnwell identified each team's best and worst moves of the offseason, and he chided Cleveland for handing Johnson a heaping pile of cash in the form of a three-year, $49.5 million deal.
"Cleveland gave [Zion Johnson] $32.4 million guaranteed over the next two seasons, suggesting that it sees Johnson as a potential building block on the interior of its offensive line," Barnwell wrote. "Though 2025 was Johnson's best season as a pro, that might be damning him with faint praise. 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."
"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. That's not typically a good strategy."
The critique of the Browns' Zion Johnson signing ignores the reality of the situation
Look, if you're of a certain age, you might remember when McDonald's sold the McChicken for $1. Nowadays, it might run you $3.59. If you try to haggle at the drive-thru, you're going to leave empty-handed. In other words, the price is the price.
The cost for sub-30-year-old, sturdy offensive linemen with top-tier pedigree and room for improvement is exorbitant. Take solace in knowing that most NFL free agents sign where they're receiving the most money — you can safely assume other teams were bidding very close to the deal that was ultimately signed.
As it relates to free agency, it is a truly rare feat to see an elite, young player hit the market. Most teams fight tooth and nail to keep these players before they can take their talents elsewhere. It's not like the Browns were able to choose from Quenton Nelson, Chris Lindstrom, and Quinn Meinerz. The next best thing is gambling on young players who still have room for growth. At only 26 years old, Zion Johnson fits the bill.
It would've been nice to reverse-age Joel Bitonio by a decade and re-sign him for another tour of duty. I'm afraid technology is just not there yet. The Browns did the next best thing in finding a player who has been durable, is young, and has potential.
Zion Johnson deserves some grace following his situation in 2025
The Chargers' offensive line as a whole struggled mightily in 2025. While Johnson's hands are hardly clean, there's plenty of nuance there. The league-average pocket time last season was 2.2 seconds. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert's average pocket time was 2.4 seconds. Those numbers may seem minimally different, but the reality is that 2.4 seconds is tied for eighth-most time to throw with 15 other quarterbacks.
As Browns fans who watched Shedeur Sanders refuse to give up on a play when it wasn't there a few too many times know all too well, the QB also bears some responsibility for the pressure he faces. What's more, following injuries to both of the Chargers' standout tackles, Johnson spent most of the season bookended by Austin Deculus at left tackle (PFF's 89th out of 89 qualified tackles) and to his right, Bradley Bozeman, whom PFF ranked the 40th center out of 40 qualifiers.
There's being in an unfortunate situation and then there's that. Zion Johnson being the league's 13th-highest paid guard might seem rich. Naturally, a year from now he'll have been leapfrogged by a few others. The going rate for offensive linemen is what it is. If the Browns wish to get serious on offense, this was a necessary upgrade. Don't be surprised when Todd Monken and Co. coax out more talent from Johnson. The Browns could wind up big winners if it all goes to plan.
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