Cleveland Browns Sign Former First-Round 26-Year-Old Offensive Guard
For their first move of the 2026 NFL Free Agency period, the Cleveland Browns have signed 26-year-old former Los Angeles Chargers offensive guard Zion Johnson to a three-year deal worth $49.5 million, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Drafted with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Johnson has been a mainstay at guard for the Chargers over the last four seasons, starting in 65 out of 66 possible games. In 2025, Johnson was incredibly durable for Los Angeles, playing 100 percent of the team’s snaps, barring Week 18, in which coach Jim Harbaugh rested the majority of his starters for the Wild Card Round.
The Boston College product also finished the season as the second-ranked guard in the league in terms of run block win rate at 79.3 percent. Johnson also saw a career low in penalties, with just three flags being thrown at his expense. However, his fatal flaw was pass blocking, especially on defensive line stunts. Last season, the 26-year-old ranked as the fifth-worst guard in pass block win rate at 87.4 percent, on an offensive line that saw its quarterback, Justin Herbert, be the most pressured and hit quarterback in all of football. In their first-round loss against the eventual AFC Champion New England Patriots, Johnson’s unit allowed Herbert to be sacked six times.
Despite the mixed bag from Johnson’s stats, general manager Andrew Berry and Cleveland’s front office still have a lot to be happy about with the signing of the young guard. After spending his entire rookie year at right guard, the 26-year-old flipped to the quarterback’s blindside at left guard, where he has stayed for the last three seasons. In his first year at left guard in 2023, Johnson played 100 percent of the Chargers' offensive snaps across 15 games that season. This is a crucial detail for the Browns' current left guard, Joel Bitonio, who has spent his entire 12-year career in Cleveland. Bitonio’s contract is set to expire on Tuesday, and he has not yet decided if he’s returning for year 13 or retiring. Johnson gives the Browns a young, solid replacement, and he is also versatile enough to shift back to right guard should Bitonio return to Cleveland in 2026. The signing also signals that Berry and the Browns may be prioritizing a wide receiver with the sixth pick in this year’s draft.
