Factory Of Sadness
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5 Cleveland Browns who are coming back no matter what

By Chad Porto

Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. (33) warms up before the game between the Browns and the New Orleans Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Harrison Jr. (33) warms up before the game between the Browns and the New Orleans Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver (84) runs with the ball after a catch as Cleveland Browns safety John Johnson III (43) defends during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver (84) runs with the ball after a catch as Cleveland Browns safety John Johnson III (43) defends during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

John Johnson III

Say whatever you’d like about John Johnson’s time in Cleveland, he certainly found a way to get paid. While Johnson hasn’t been “bad”, he was paid to be an impact player and he has not been. He’s been perfectly average and if he were making a million or so per year, that’d be fine. Run with that. He’s not, however. In 2023 he’ll be making $13 million per year, and unless the Browns con him into restructuring his contract, they’re going to have to pay him every single dime.

The most you can save on cutting or trading Johnson is about $9 million and that may sound like a lot, but in reality, they’re still going to have to pay him no less than $11 million across the next two seasons. If you’re paying that much to a guy to not play, you might as well keep him. After all, not only will you have to still pay him just a few mil shy of what he’d cost you against the cap anyway, but you’ll still have to sign or draft his replacement and there’s no guarantee you get a better player.

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