Zion Johnson was one of the few bright spots on the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive line in 2025.
At the end of the day, though, perhaps that doesn't say very much. After the Chargers lost Rashawn Slater to a torn patellar tendon in an offseason workout and lost Joe Alt to an in-season ankle injury, the ceiling for the Los Angeles O-line was capped pretty heavily. When you mix in the abysmal play of Bradley Bozeman and Mekhi Becton— both of whom were near the bottom of the league at their positions in virtually all metrics— it didn't take a lot for Johnson to stand out.
Heading into the offseason, though, there was some heated debate about whether the Chargers should extend Johnson a new contract. Was it wise to shell out a hefty deal to an inconsistent guard simply to keep some continuity on the offensive line?
Ultimately, the Chargers decided to hand the reins over to new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Johnson departed to the Cleveland Browns on a three-year, $49.5 million deal, and he'll be replaced by some combination of Jake Slaughter, Kayode Awosika, and Trevor Penning in 2026.
Johnson's new deal is sizable, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. That's simply what starting-caliber guards command on the open market in the modern NFL. But Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently pegged Johnson as one of the most overpaid players in the league, and it's difficult to disagree with him.
As Johnson enters his tenure in Cleveland, therefore, it seems as though his contract has already set him up for failure— at least relative to expectations.
Zion Johnson is a starting-caliber guard, but how much value can he really provide to the Browns?
Here's part of what Moton had to say about the Johnson signing:
"Among the Browns' free-agent additions for their offensive line, Zion Johnson is the most head-scratching acquisition. Through four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, he struggled at both guard spots... The Browns need to see a much better version of Johnson to feel justified in giving him a three-year, $49.5 million contract. As the fifth-highest paid guard in cash, he's an underwhelming signing." Moe Moton, Bleacher Report
After three seasons of wildly inconsistent play in Los Angeles, Johnson seemed relatively put-together in 2025. As Moton notes, he allowed just three sacks on 663 pass-blocking snaps. His high pressure rate was (at least partially) a result of the pure lack of viable protection around him.
But Moton also notes that Johnson will be the fifth-highest paid guard this season, at least in terms of cash spending. His contract also puts him in the top-15 at the position in average annual value.
Sure, Johnson can provide viable guard play. But in order for him to immediately justify this contract, he'll need to perform like a top-10 guard, at least, in 2026. Chargers fans know that Johnson's inconsistencies in his footwork and lack of true power will almost certainly prevent this from happening.
The Browns will enter 2026 with five new additions to their offensive line. This includes rookie tackle Spencer Fano, who's projected to start alongside Johnson on the left side. If things fall apart, maybe Johnson can be the same sort of bright spot for Cleveland that he was for Los Angeles last season.
But the truth is that there's almost no world where Johnson justifies over $18 million in cash spending for a singular season of his play. Perhaps it's an unfair way to assess the fifth-year guard, but it seems as though his new contract has destined him to fall short of the expectations it carries.
On an entirely new offensive line under a new offensive coordinator, it's difficult to see a path for the Browns' gamble to pay off, at least in the short-term.
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