According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, Johnston has agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This will be the third team for Johnston, who will enter his eighth NFL season. Johnston began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and then moved to the Houston Texans.
After a productive four-year career at Ohio State, Johnston was an undrafted free agent in 2017. The Geelong, Victoria, Australia native signed a contract with the Eagles shortly after the NFL Draft. Johnston quickly became a key special teams player in Philadelphia, averaging 48.1 yards per punt during his rookie season. During his three seasons with the Eagles, Johnston averaged 47 yards per kick, 41.8 net yards per punt, managed 17 touchbacks and 78 punts that landed inside the 20-yard line.
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Following the 2020 season, Johnston was again a free agent, signing a deal with the Texans. He continued to be productive in Texas, averaging 47.4 yards per attempt, 41.8 net yards per attempt, 11 touchbacks and placed 104 punts inside the 20-yard line. Johnston lead the NFL in total punts (88) and punt yards in 2021 (4,108) and had his best season of his career in 2022 when he averaged 48.1 yards per punt and had a career-high 37 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line.
When Johnston came to Columbus in 2013, finding a former Australian Rules Football player to be a collegiate punter was still a relatively new idea. Four years later and programs across the country look down under in hopes to find the range and specificity Johnston brings to his punts.
After leading the Big Ten in punting two of his first three seasons, Johnston entered 2016 with high expectations. Twice, he was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, but was never able to bring home the award.
His senior year was one to remember. Johnston ranked fifth nationally and first in the conference with an average of 46.2 yards per punt as he helped place Ohio State near the top of the country in the opponent’s average starting field position.
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In Pittsburgh, Johnston will join former Buckeye defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. He will hope to continue his punting success as the Steelers look to get back to the NFL playoffs in 2024 after losing to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round this past season.
How Deshaun Watson decision affects Matt Ryan, Jameis Winston and NFL QB free agency
“This is all going to happen as soon as Deshaun Watson agrees to waive his no-trade clause, which could could literally any minute now.”
The Falcons and Ryan agreed to push back the $7.5 million roster bonus that was due in his contract Friday to next week, giving the franchise more time to try and acquire Watson once his no-trade clause is waived.
“It looks like the Atlanta Falcons are getting prepared to move on from Matt Ryan one way or another whether or not Deshaun Watson goes there,” Schefter said. “And so, it’s very interesting to see. If Watson pics Atlanta, the Falcons are going to have to almost execute the trade of Watson to Atlanta and Ryan from Atlanta at the same time for salary cap purposes. Those two seem to be tied together. Even if Watson picks New Orleans, it’s still possible Ryan could be dealt to another team.”
Ryan is currently in a five-year contract with the Falcons, which is scheduled to run through 2023, according to Spotrac. His 2023 base salary is $20.5 million, but there is a potential out of the contract in 2022, according to Spotrac. Watson, 26, would be a significant step back in age at the quarterback position, as Ryan, 36, is likely nearing the end of his playing career.
New Orleans will turn back to Jameis Winston, a free agent, for the 2022 season if Watson picks the Falcons, Schefter says.
“Winston doesn’t want to commit to a team until Watson commits to a team, as is Marcus Mariota, Andy Dalton and the other quarterbacks waiting on Watson,” Schefter said.”
The trade buzz the former Clemson star picked up over the weekend after a grand jury declined to indict the Texans quarterback amid 22 sexual assault allegations. Watson has been under investigation for sexual assault allegations since March 2021, after multiple women came forward with accusations. Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris (Texas) County District Attorney’s Office, released a statement after the grand jury declined to formally charge Watson Friday afternoon.
In the statement, Schiller noted that proceedings were secret by law and no information would be released on them.
“After a Harris County grand jury was presented all the evidence and had the opportunity to hear from all witnesses, grand jurors declined to indict Deshaun Watson,” the statement from Schiller read. “Grand jury proceedings are secret by law, so no information related to their inquiry may be disclosed.
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The Texans previously declined the Indianapolis Colts the opportunity to speak with Watson, Schefter reports. Schefter says the Texans are not comfortable with Watson playing for an AFC South rival. The Colts recently shipped quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders after just one season, putting them among a number of teams seeking a new starting signal-caller for 2022.
Nick Kosko and Riley Gates contributed to this report
Cleveland Browns 2024 Free Agency Mock
Taking a look at who Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns could target in free agency at wide receiver, EDGE, defensive tackle, running back, and other positions.
March 13: Start of the 2024 NFL league year. Contracts from the previous season expire, free-agent contracts can become official, and the 2024 trading period begins.
March 16: Deadline for exclusive rights free agent tenders
Our purpose here is an attempt to predict the Cleveland Browns free agency signings. By using prior player signee parameters utilized by General Manager Andrew Berry, we can effectively reduce the player pool to a select number of names at each position. Here are the players I believe fit the typical mold for the franchise.
Note that all statistics were sourced from Sports Info Solutions, SumerSports, rbsdm.com, and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted
Some definitions of metrics used throughout:
Expected points added (“EPA”) via Inside the Pylon: “Expected Points Added (EPA) is a football statistic that seeks to measure the value of individual plays in terms of points. This is done by calculating the Expected Points (EP) of the down, distance, and field position situation at the start of a play and contrasting it with the situation at the end of the play. A three-yard gain on first-and-10 is pretty different than a three-yard gain on third-and-two, something not usually captured in conventional statistics. The Expected Points framework helps translate raw gains into value.”
Relative Athletic Score (“RAS”): measures a prospect’s athletic testing results from the combine or a pro day in relation to the prospect’s size and historical results from players at the same position. Each prospect is given a score from 0 to 10 based on how their RAS matches up to those of the same position throughout history. Compiled and calculated by Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network.
DaQuan Jones
Position: iDL
Age: 32.2
Athleticism: 2.48 RAS
Projected Contract: 1-year, $6M
Notes: A 10-year veteran at the position, DaQuan Jones has spent the prior two seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He offers versatility along the interior of the defensive line and is still productive at this stage of his career. In 2023, Jones recorded the 4th-highest pass-rush win rate (17.9 percent) and the 8th-best pass-rush productivity (7.9) among qualifying tackles, as well as setting a career-high mark in pass-rush grade (80.9). He could catapult the Browns defensive line into the “best of” conversation.
Alternative Option(s): D.J. Reader, Shelby Harris, Javon Kinlaw
Tyquan Lewis
Position: EDGE
Age: 29.0
Athleticism: 9.53 RAS
Projected Contract: 2 years, $6M per year
Notes: While I believe Za’Darius Smith is option 1A, I am assuming he signs elsewhere in the mock. Tyquan Lewis would be quite the consolation prize at the position in free agency. A former 2nd-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2018 NFL Draft, Lewis has had a respectable career thus far. The 94th percentile pSPARQ athlete’s best campaign came in 2023, where he posted career-highs in quarterback pressures (44) and pass-rush grade (76.6), as well as his 2nd-best mark in run defense stops (17). Additionally, Lewis’ EPA +/- of -0.13 (EPA with the player on the field minus EPA when this player is not on the field) was good for 22nd among all qualifying defensive linemen.
Alternative Option(s): Andrew Van Ginkel
Antonio Gibson
Position: RB
Age: 25.6
Athleticism: 9.29 RAS
Projected Contract: N/A
Notes: Where I want to focus on Antonio Gibson is in the receiving aspect of his game. In each of the past three seasons with the Washington Commanders, he has totaled 40+ receptions on 50+ targets and multiple touchdowns. Looking back at 2023 specifically, Gibson accumulated 48 receptions on 57 targets for 389 yards and two touchdowns. His 44.1 positive play percentage was the 11th-highest at the position, while his 39.6 first down rate was 12th-best. Gibson’s athleticism and abilities as a receiver out of the backfield could provide value in a facet of the game where the Browns’ offense could use more production. His contract demands will probably be on the lower side of the running back FA group (Spotrac average approximate value of around $1.2M), so I believe Gibson will be a target by Berry.
Alternative Option(s): Zack Moss, Devin Singletary
Noah Brown
Position: WR
Age: 28.1
Athleticism: 6.88
Projected Contract: 2 years, $3.5M per season
Notes: Over the two campaigns with the Dallas Cowboys (2022) and Houston Texans (2023), Noah Brown has generated 1,161 yards on 129 targets and five touchdowns. In 2023, Brown posted a respectable +15.65 EPA (+0.28 EPA per target), as well as 3.1 average yards after the catch above expectation, which was 2nd to only Deebo Samuel across the NFL. He may not have every down ability, but could be a depth piece at a reasonable projected contract.
Alternative Option(s): K.J. Osborn, Mecole Hardman
Nicholas Morrow
Position: MIKE LB
Age: 28.6
Athleticism: N/A
Projected Contract: 2 years, $6M per year
Notes: The Browns have a need at MIKE linebacker and Nicholas Morrow is a cost-effective solution at the position. In 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he totaled 29 run defense stops with a corresponding 4.4 missed tackle rate (11th-lowest among qualifying linebackers). He may not be the best linebacker in coverage (career reception percentage allowed of nearly 75 percent), but I still believe he would be a nice addition to the current corps.
Alternative Option(s): Anthony Walker, Azeez Al Shaair
Joe Flacco
Position: QB
Age: 39.1
Athleticism: 8.14 RAS
Projected Contract: N/A
Notes: Joe Flacco is a solid insurance policy to fellow quarterback Deshaun Watson in case of injury or lackluster performance. From Weeks 13 through 17 of the 2023-24 season, the veteran led the position in yards (1,630) and touchdowns (13) and was tied for 6th in big-time throws (10). However, the turnover bug did not work in his favor, as he also led all quarterbacks in the category with eight.
Alternative Option(s): Jacoby Brisett
Harrison Bryant
Position: TE
Age: 25
Athleticism: 4.66 RAS
Projected Contract: N/A
Notes: Harrison Bryant did not have his most productive season as a pass-catcher (17 receptions on 26 targets for 146 yards and 0.89 yards per route run), but he made the most of the targets with a 35 percent first down rate. Where he found the most success was in the blocking aspect of the game, where Bryant finished 3rd in pass-blocking grade (80.2).
Alternative Option(s): Mike Gesicki
Maurice Hurst
Position: iDL
Age: 28.8
Athleticism: 7.73 RAS
Projected Contract: 1-year, $1.75M
Notes: Maurice Hurst was impactful in a rotational/depth role along the interior of the defensive line. The veteran posted a 75.9 pass-rush grade, 14.1 pass-rush win rate, and 6.1 pass-rush productivity, all of which ranked among the top 25 qualifiers at the position.
Alternative Option(s): Jordan Elliott
Corey Bojorquez
Position: P
Projected Contract: N/A
Notes: Corey Bojorquez was among the top-tier punters in the game in 2023. 35 of his punts landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line (7th-best), while his 4.35 seconds of average kick hangtime was 14th at the position. Further, Bojorquez’s average net yards per punt attempt of 42.4 finished 12th. Retaining his special teams talent is in the best interest of Berry and Ventrone.
