He's big, he's mean, and he road grades defensive linemen to give life to a potent running attack. In other words, Tre' Johnson is just what the Browns needed when they signed him to a one-year deal from Washington as a free agent before the 2001 season. At 6'2" and 326 pounds, Johnson could spring William Green and Jamel White to bring some life to a truly woeful Browns running attack.

There's just one problem: Tre' Johnson is injury prone, as the Browns found out in 2001 when he was lost for the season after just four games. In fact, Tre' Johnson has managed to play only one full season since being drafted in the second round of the 1994 draft by the Washington Redskins. After a dominant 1999 campaign that propelled Johnson into the Pro Bowl, the massive guard missed almost all of 2000 with an ACL injury.

The Browns decided to take another chance on Johnson in 2002, signing the nine-year veteran to a one-year deal laced with incentives. The hope, once again, is that Johnson can stay healthy enough, long enough, to light up the Browns ground game. The early returns look promising, as Johnson has performed well in his first training camp action since spraining his knee. But with the Browns deep in young offensive guards, it's not beyond possibility that Tre' Johnson finds himself waived before the start of the season.