The Hidden Risk Created by the Cleveland Browns Signing Zion Johnson

The Cleveland Browns wasted no time in getting to work on the interior of their offensive line once the legal tampering window opened on Monday, agreeing to terms with former Chargers guard Zion Johnson, former Packers guard/center Elgton Jenkins, re-signing guard Teven Jenkins and officializing a trade for former Texans’ tackle/guard Tytus Howard.

However, lost among these moves is the fact that they -- one in particular -- may have helped a Brown’s legend get pushed out of Cleveland.

Future Hall-of-Famer Joel Bitonio’s contract has now void. Even though the team gave him a few extra weeks to ponder his future, he’s now a free agent with a dead cap charge of $23.5 million. And the fact that Cleveland added Zion Johnson in particular likely plays a role in Bitonio's potential comeback to the Browns threatened, even if he doesn't retire.

Why adding Zion Johnson could push Joel Bitonio out of Cleveland

Until recently, there was hope that Bitonio would come back to the Browns. That’s why the club changed the void date on his contract, affording him almost an extra month to decide if he wanted to play one more season in Cleveland.

Joel Bitonio's contract officially voided, leaving $23.5 million in dead cap for the Browns in 2026.

Bitonio has been mulling retirement, and Cleveland had pushed the void date back to give him time. The Browns have been active in adding OL in free agency, including IOL Zion…
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 11, 2026

Even new head coach Todd Monken said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he had already talked to Bitonio in an attempt to convince him of coming back.

“He came up to the office a few weeks ago and we tried to talk him into it right then,” said Monken at the time. “I mean, but he was not in that position yet to say he wanted to come back. I’m for really good football players and I’m for really good football players that are wired like Joel. There’s not many wired like Joel. I like what he says, how he carries himself, how he prepares.”

The problem now is that Bitonio might not have a position to come back to in Cleveland.

Johnson started his career as a right guard, but played better once he transitioned to the left side. It doesn't seem plausible to sign him for so much money and immediately ask him to play out of his preferred position. And Elgton Jenkins, who was presumably signed to play center, has played left guard for the most part of his career, as well, although he has lined up at left and right tackle.

As for the right guard position, which until very recently belonged to current free agent Wyatt Teller, re-signed Teven Jenkins looks penciled in there for now, although Howard has experience playing there, too.

Would the Browns attempt to move Bitonio to left tackle, again? Highly unlikely. Could Bitonio agree to play right guard? I wouldn’t count on it.

Another thing to consider is the money, and it’s a big one. Bitonio has undoubtedly earned the right to take all the time he needs to make a decision. He’s weathered some of the worst times in recent franchise history with decorum, earning seven Pro Bowl nods, along with two first-team All-Pro and three second-team All-Pro distinctions in the process. The number of quarterbacks he’s had to block for throughout his 12-year career is astronomical.

Nonetheless, a $23.5 million dead cap charge that could’ve easily been reduced through a restructure -- in case he wanted to come back -- is very telling. As a free agent, Bitonio wouldn’t be able to rework his previous deal with the Browns, only signing a new one if he were to play again for Cleveland. The Browns would then have to pay him under the new deal, while also carrying a significant dead cap charge from the old one.

And, he wouldn’t be putting his body through all that wear-and-tear for another year for peanuts, right? Playing in 2026 for a league minimum with sizeable bonuses making up the rest of the compensation -- laid out in future voidable years -- seems like the way out, but is it worth it?

In a sense, the void date became somewhat of a deadline for Bitonio because of the money involved. That explains in part why the Browns proceeded as if he wasn’t coming back, committing a combined $52.5 million guaranteed between Johnson and Elgton Jenkins.

With Bitonio possibly out of the picture in Cleveland, the only thing that remains to be seen now is if he decides to retire, or he will end his storied career for another club... and which club it could be.