For some reason, Day 2 of NFL free agency’s legal tampering period has seen the well run dry. Not just for the Cleveland Browns but around the NFL in general. There is still talent available, but teams and agents seem to be regrouping after a busy Day 1 around the league.
For the Browns, replacing LB Devin Bush with LB Quincy Williams is hopefully a wash, but adding Tytus Howard in a reported trade and Zion Johnson with a big free agent contract, reportedly, are meant to upgrade the offensive line
while getting younger at the same time. Joel Bitonio’s future might not include a return to Cleveland, but GM Andrew Berry is hoping that his process will lead to much better performance from the offensive line.
Browns fans were not united in loving the signing of Johnson, and Berry’s first few moves overall, but ESPN’s Bill Barnwell took it a step further in calling the Howard trade plus extension and Johnson’s signing into question. Barnwell, an analytics guru who has spoken at MIT’s Sload Sports Analytics Conference, is mostly concerned with the cost for both players:
The Browns need offensive linemen, given that four of their starters and sometimes-left-tackle Cam Robinson are free agents. Cleveland made one addition by trading for Tytus Howard, who should step in at right tackle, his preferred position. I’m not sure he has really ever been anything more than an average tackle, and the Browns gave him a two-year, $45 million extension as part of the trade, but it was time to move on from Jack Conklin, who has battled knee injuries throughout his time in Cleveland and wasn’t the same player by the end of his tenure.
Cleveland added a second lineman Monday in former Chargers guard Zion Johnson, who signed a three-year deal worth $49.5 million. Even if that number comes down after we get a look at the full details, it’s just too much money for a player who hasn’t been anywhere close to a league-average guard. Johnson started for four years in Los Angeles by virtue of being a 2022 first-round pick.
Offensive line evaluation is tough from the outside. Blocking schemes, the play of the linemen playing with them, and decisions by quarterbacks and running backs often dictate how good a lineman looks and even rates, despite no one outside of the team knowing the responsibilities. Even so, Browns fans have seen some great offensive line play over the years and know how quickly the unit degraded in performance over the last two years. Fresh faces are welcomed, but did the team overpay?
What do you think about Barnwell’s analysis of adding Howard and Johnson? Do you think he has a point or relied too much on data?
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