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Browns NFL free agency: 5 things to know about new OL Zion Johnson
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- Browns NFL free agency: 5 things to know about new OL Zion Johnson
The Cleveland Browns got on the board on day one of 2026 NFL free agency by beefing up their offensive line. They signed former Los Angeles Chargers guard Zion Johnson.
Johnson comes to Cleveland on a very solid deal that leaves the Browns with some flexibility but also gets them a very solid player. The Browns have a very clear goal this offseason, and that is beefing up their offensive line after having one of the worst in the NFL last season.
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Let's get to know the Browns' new guard.
1. The Best Ability is Availability
On a team and an offensive line that was constantly injured, Johnson was the only constant in front of Justin Herbert week after week. He played in 100 percent of the Chargers' snaps except in Week 18, when the Chargers rested their starters to prepare for the Playoffs. He played on 1,072 snaps of a possible 1,142 (Week 18 + special teams), which were team highs for both snaps and snap percentage.
2. Middle of the Pack for the Browns
While he appeared in as many snaps as were humanly possible in 2025, his production was middle of the pack at best. Pro Football Focus is not the end-all, be-all when it comes to grading players, but it does give a clean look at a player evaluated against his peers.
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Johnson's 2025 grades were "OK" at best. His overall grade of 57.0 is classified as "average," and it ranked him 53rd out of 81 guards. He had a run blocking grade of 53.4 (64th/81) and a pass blocking grade of 60.6 (49th/81).
3. Steady Improvement
Johnson is described as this from Bleacher Report's Brandon Thorn, who is their trusted OL / DL Analyst:
"Durable, young, high-character player who began showing more consistent flashes of putting his traits and technique together late last season."
Early in his career, Johnson showed that he improved throughout the season, all while maintaining his health and durability.
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4. Former First Round Pick
Johnson, who is just 26 years old, was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was chosen with the 17th pick in the draft out of Boston College. He was selected in the area of players like Kyle Hamilton , Trent McDuffie , and Quay Walker .
5. Can Slide Down
The Browns are still in search of their long-term center, and Johnson could be a bridge at the position. Right now, the Browns are setting up to go with Luke Wypler at the position, but if things don't go well for him, Johnson has the ability to fill the void. While he never appeared at center for the Chargers, they prepared him for the position and considered moving him full-time last offseason.
Follow all of the Browns' Free Agency Moves Here!
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns NFL free agency: 5 things to know about new OL Zion Johnson
