The Browns added a big chunk to their defense when they signed safety John Johnson last week, and they apparently had strong competition for his services.
Johnson turned down “significantly more money” from another team to join the Browns, his agents told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. He was clearly very excited about the prospect of playing for this upcoming Browns team coming off their best season in decades. This is a sign of how much the times have changed that players now take less money to sign up with the Browns than a destination in free agency.
Imagine if someone told you that a few years ago. Johnson signed a three-year, $ 33.75MM contract with the Browns that guaranteed $ 24MM, and was probably the best security on the market after guys like Justin Simmons, Marcus Maye, en Marcus Williams all branded franchises by their respective teams.
Johnson’s $ 11.25MM AAV currently ranks him eighth – highest paid safety in the NFL. Shortly before he signed with Cleveland, we heard the Lions, Eagles and Jaguars were chasing him, so it is possible that one of the teams offered him the bigger contract.
The Rams chose not to mark him for financial reasons, but Johnson has been a very good player since entering the third round of the league in 2017. He played every time for a defense in Los Angeles that was the best in the league last season, and only becomes 26 December 26. Johnson will start next in the second round of 2020 Grant Delpit or Ronnie Harrison in 2021.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.