Browns Agree to Deal With John Johnson III per Reports

The Cleveland Browns have agreed to a contract with free agent safety John Johnson III according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Ian Rapoport has also reported the agreement between the former Los Angeles Rams safety and the Browns.

Breaking: #Browns have agreed to terms with former #Rams S John Johnson, league source tells https://t.co/o11vJSOExu
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 15, 2021

Arguably the top available overall talent for the Cleveland Browns, Johnson has been an excellent safety for three of his four seasons in the NFL, Johnson would immediately plug into free safety in the Browns defense and allow them to utilize Grant Delpit and Ronnie Harrison in multiple roles, including strong safety and rover.

An added benefit of getting Johnson is he becomes the quarterback of the Browns defense under defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Johnson was the player with the green dot helmet for the Rams defense, relaying calls from the sideline. Since Johnson will never leave the field, it frees them up to take linebackers off the field as the situation deems fit.

#Browns deal for S John Johnson: Three years, $33.75 million with $24 million guaranteed, source says. Former third-rounder cashes in.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 15, 2021

Johnson has the potential to shift the balance of power in the AFC in a major way. Not only is he an excellent talent that is deal for what the Browns want to do on defense, getting safeties that can cover, but he allows the Browns to put three safeties on the field consistently, a goal of Woods.

Johnson immediately becomes the second best player on the defense behind Myles Garrett. Only 26 years old, the Browns will have those two plus Denzel Ward on defense for the foreseeable future.

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