Browns Release DE Jadeveon Clowney & S John Johnson With Post-June 1 Designations

The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday that they’ve designated DE Jadeveon Clowney and S John Johnson with post-June 1 designations. 

This move allows teams to spread a player’s dead money cap hit over two seasons as opposed to taking it all on upfront. 

Clowney, 30, is a former No. 1 overall pick of the Texans back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $22.272 million contract when the Texans picked up his fifth-year option which paid him $12.306 million for the 2018 season. 

Houston franchised Clowney last year before trading him to the Seahawks at the start of the regular season. It took until September for him to a sign one-year deal worth up to $15 million with the Titans. 

The Browns signed Clowney to a one-year deal before signing him to another one-year deal worth $11 million.

In 2022, Clowney appeared in 12 games for the Browns and recorded 28 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, a recovery, and three pass defenses.

Johnson, 27, is a former third-round pick by the Rams out of Boston College in the 2017 NFL Draft. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.25 million rookie contract with the Rams before entering free agency.

The Browns signed Johnson to a three-year $33.75 million during the 2021 offseason. 

In 2022, Johnson appeared in all 17 games for the Browns and recorded 96 tackles, a half sack, an interception, two forced fumbles, two recoveries and four pass defenses.

We have them included in our Top 100 – 2023 NFL Free Agents list.