The Cleveland Browns cut a starter
The Cleveland Browns are parting ways with a defensive starter this offseason. The Browns will look to improve upon their 7-10 record from the 2022 campaign. The team will have Deshaun Watson eligible for the entire season, which should turn the team into a playoff contender. The Browns appear to be making some roster moves to clear cap space for new weapons.
According to Mike Garafolo with the NFL Network, the Browns are releasing safety John Johnson III when the league year starts March 15th–if a trade does not happen before then. 2023 would have been the final year of the 27-year-old’s contract.
https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1630552238245519364
According to Over The Cap, the Browns could wait until June 1st to cut Johnson. If the team cut him before then, the team wouldn’t save much money as his dead cap hit ($12.6 million) is close to his cap charge (13.5 million).
https://twitter.com/Jason_OTC/status/1630578451282292739
Johnson hasn’t been as good of a defender with the Browns as he was in the early part of his career with the Los Angeles Rams. Pro Football Focus graded 62.8 overall for his play in 2022.