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Cleveland Browns have Terry Talkin' salary cap, quarterbacks, big decisions -- Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have $50 million in salary cap space, the most of any NFL team.

Some fans are very upset the Browns didn't spend more money to try and avoid this disastrous season. You can make a case they should have kept Mitchell Schwartz, who was open to staying.

But throwing money at aging free agents such as Tramon Williams, Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby and others over the last few years has done little to change the course of the franchise.

If you want to focus purely on this season and the record, the new front office took a 3-13 team and now have it at 0-11. So what about the $50 million in salary cap space that expands to $64 million in 2017?

Fans are right, it's time to spend -- but not on big names from other teams. Browns vice president Sashi Brown has mentioned the desire to "retain" core players.

The credibility of this front office is on the line when it comes to this off-season, and not just with the draft. Also with how it handles the salary cap. A Harvard lawyer, Brown has cap experience.

Frustrated with the problems and all the changes on the offensive line, veteran tackle Joe Thomas said this after Sunday 24-9 loss to Pittsburgh:

"We lost a couple really good players. I think the best at their position. But that was our strategy in the off-season ... You've got to lie in the bed that you've made, and I don't make the decisions on who comes and goes. So that's not something that I can concern myself with."

But it is a concern. Thomas has two more years left on his contract. The last thing the Browns need is for him to become so discouraged that he wants to be traded. Then they will need a left tackle, along with all the other holes in the line.

Rather than stare in the rear view mirror, let's look ahead in terms of keeping key players.

As soon as the season ends -- if not sooner in some cases -- it's time to begin. Here's the start of a game plan:

1. If Jamie Collins and Terrelle Pryor were in this draft, they would be top 10 picks. Both are 27, about the right age for a contract extension. The Browns traded for Collins, and signed Pryor after he was cut by several teams. Both will be unrestricted free agents.

2. Pryor is represented by Drew Rosenhaus. He'll make the Browns pay, if they want to keep him. The Browns did cut a huge deal with Rosenhaus for Joe Haden in the spring of 2014.

3. Veteran agent Bus Cook represents Collins. Cook has been in the business a long time, dating back to Brett Favre. He represents Cam Newton, Jadeveon Clowney, Mo Claiborne and many other first-round selections during the last few years.

4. The Browns have a challenge. It make sense to try and sign both players before free agency opens in March. But it also makes sense for the agents to see what the market says about their players.

5. The Browns should fear losing Pryor and Collins if they allow them to remain unsigned close to the free agent signing period. I would make strong offers to both very soon.

6. Chris Kirksey and Joel Bitonio won't be free agents until after the 2017 season. But they are eligible to sign contract extensions after this season. Both are above average players and should be signed. Keep them away from free agency.

7. There are some concerns because Bitonio suffered a major foot injury and played only five games this season. He missed six games in 2015 with an ankle injury. He played all 16 games in 2014.

8. So Bitonio is somewhat of a health-risk, but he's a very good player. I want him on the roster. Depth on the offensive line. Kirksey is rated above average as an inside linebacker by Profootballfocus.com.

9. Isaiah Crowell is a restricted free agent. He has shown enough to stick around, and the Browns should make that happen -- assuming his price is reasonable.

10. John Greco, 31, is signed through the 2017 season. Greco is important to the line because of his versatility. Offensive lineman can play reasonably well into their middle 30s. I would offer him a short extension. The same for Austin Pastzor, who is OK as a tackle if you have a decent line. If nothing else, he also supplies depth.

11. Next season, the Browns will have two first-round picks and two second-round picks. They probably will have five picks in the top 65. They need to save some cap room to sign those guys.

12. If the Browns can retain Pryor and Collins, that will take a healthy chunk out of the salary cap room. Part of the reason for keeping cap space open in 2016 was for the new front office to evaluate players and then spend to keep them.

13. Beaten-down fans will look at last season and correctly mention the Browns didn't retain much of anyone. Alex Mack, Tashaun Gipson, Travis Benjamin, Craig Robertson and Schwartz all signed elsewhere.

14. A problem was the previous front office allowed all of them to head into their final contract seasons with free agency looming. When you are a losing team such as the Browns, you invite a mass exit with that strategy.

15. It's imperative that this front office target the young players they like and sign them to extensions early. I wrote about how the failure to do this with Mack after the 2011 season led to many of the problems on the offensive line.

ABOUT ROBERT GRIFFIN III AND JOE CALLAHAN

Confession time: Last weekend, I wrote that I had no real interest in seeing Griffin play this season. Then Kessler suffered his second concussion in 29 days in last week's loss to Pittsburgh.

As Game 12 of the season looms, when it comes to Browns quarterbacks -- I surrender. I don't know who should play.

I don't know what to think about Kessler, other than his lack of durability is alarming. He has started eight games, and not stayed healthy enough to even make it through three of those starts.

I don't know what to say about Josh McCown, other than he's a classy 37-year-old veteran who has taken a horrible physical beating in his two years with the Browns.

What about Joe Callahan? Who?

Callahan is on the roster, along with Griffin, McCown, Kessler and rookie Kevin Hogan. You'll need all five fingers to count all the Browns quarterbacks.

I forgot about Callahan until receiving this email from John Berezo:

"The fact that Callahan is still on the roster ... should tell you something. I would not be surprised if Kessler is shut down for the year, Griffin is activated and Callahan remains on the roster so they can take him into next year. Read things the Packers' media was saying about him. They LOVED him and HATED losing him. He is Kessler's size but has a much bigger arm."

OK, I can't believe I'm discussing Joe Callahan -- but why not? Charlie Whitehurst actually played a few quarters this season. So did Kevin Hogan.

At Division III Wesley College, Callahan was the Gagliardi Player of the Year in 2015. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent by Green Bay, completing 54 of 88 passes (64 percent) with three TDs and zero interceptions in the preseason. He played in the preseason against the Browns. I didn't see the strong arm that Berezo mentioned.

Anyway, he was cut by Packers, signed by the Saints. He was cut by the Saints, signed by the Browns. He has been on the 53-man roster.

With five games left and the way Browns quarterbacks keep getting hurt, we could see Joe Callahan. The Browns have already used five quarterbacks, why not six?

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/11/cleveland_browns_have_terry_ta_90.html
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Regarding Collins and Pryor:

(1) Pryor-- It's a good thing we have crappy QB play at the moment because I think that keeps him more affordable. I'd give him contract security and a promise (yeah, I know how much those are worth in the NFL, let alone Cleveland) that Hue has at least two more years after this year.

(2) Collins-- Well, I guess you can easily franchise tag him, right? You'll pay a few extra million but he's clearly shown (at least to me anyway) that he can be a difference maker. Plus, maybe one more year here can convince him to stay, because this year, devotes the opposite approach. If he's strictly business...then he'll take a large contract from Cleveland regardless. He'll eventually get it somewhere.

I also agree with the mindset of signing Bitonio and Kirksey to deals because (1) they're worth it, and (2) it makes sense if you can front load the deal w/ guaranteed money in the early years in the hopes of freeing up cash later if hopefully **fingers crossed** you are in a position to retain future players drafted.

I'm very curious to see just how much Pryor wants to play for Hue and play here ...

Will he give a "hometown" discount or even stay here for the "same" offer from someone else ...

Pryor is a physical freak but he is still learning how to play WR .. his route running leaves a lot to be desired and thats being nice ...

I'm not saying we shouldn't re-sign him ... just wonder how much were going to overpay a WR thats a novice at his trade ...

I expect Collins will need a few truckloads of money to stay here ... i can only imagine what he thinks about C-Town when the only other org. He's known is NE ...

Both these guys will be way overpaid .. that's built in to FA ..

Will be interesting to see how this develops ...

Pluto makes it seem easy to sign these guys now .. we will have to overpay even more than the FA market will dictate if we expect them to sign w/o testing the waters ...

Like i said .. i'm very curious to see how this plays out ...

Pryor has been very complimentary of Hue in press conferences. However, it's simply that, a press conference.... but, if Pryor is smart, he should continue to do so. That's his boss. That's who can dictate whether he stays employed or not. With all that being said, this staff has been the only staff to get his NFL worth out of him. I feel like that has to mean something to Pryor. Furthermore, I think Pryor knows he was on his last shot to make significant money in the NFL when he signed on with the Browns. If I were him, business-wise, and had a general feeling most things would be kept in tact offensively (essentially Hue) I'd re-sign here.

be interesting to see if Cincinnati goes after Pryor to just take him away from us...it is in the best interest of the North to pull our good players out so I could see him leaving to go there...especially with their O-woes this year...

I think with them saying that Pryor is the only player they won't trade, come hell or high water they resign him...and they should along with Collins. at the very least

Pryor spoke about the potential of re-signing with the Browns this offseason despite the 0-11 start to the season, courtesy of Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram:

I don’t believe in taking easy roads and going to teams just because a team’s great, just because I want to win. I’d rather start how we are and build an empire, a top gun franchise. I believe in that. I believe in battling. I don’t believe in taking the easy way out in anything.

So whatever happens in free agency when that comes up, I’d love to be here. I love playing for Hue, I love playing for the Haslams. They’re great owners. It’s one of the best facilities and they want to win.

Pryor previously told reporters on Oct. 20 that he would like to stay in Cleveland so long as Hue Jackson is serving as the team's head coach, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot:

I respect him very highly and if Hue Jackson's here, I'd love to stay here. I want to be here if Hue's going to be here for a while, because I know this is a building process — and it's not really. We're right there. We're competing with everybody, we've just got to put teams away and I'd like to be where Hue's at.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/26709...ons-with-browns

I believe him when says that. I don't think Pryor is going anywhere.

I believe him, at least until his agent gets our offer and another team is offering 3 mil more.



As much as I don't like to say it, at this point it would be stuipd for either guy to sign anything unless the Browns offer a blockbuster deal. Their agents aren't stupid people. The have a pretty good idea where the market sits. Neither one of those guys has been around Cleveland to be offering hometeam discounts unless the wife or kids have become grounded to Cleveland, and I don't see how that is possible at this point.


We might get them signed early, but it won't be at a discount because they are swell guys and know the fans want them signed.

They are looking for a payday.....Show Me the Money.

Thanks for the article.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I kinda wonder if either Collins or Pryor would want to stay here. It seems to me that good players would want to win. If they stay, we either have to overpay or they believe in what the Browns are doing.

I also think that trying to get early deals done w/guys like Greco, Bitonio, and Kirksey would be smart. We'll see what happens.

Especially when your agent's Drew .. players choose him for a reason ... and its not because there looking to do anyone but their checkbook a favor ...

Will be interesting to see how this pans out ....

Still not sure why everyone wants to give Pryor a boatload of money ... hes a physical specimen not a great WR ... he leaves alot to be desired when it comes to a route runner ...

Will say one thing .. he works his ass off and is a gamer ... there's no question there .. i don't think he's going to be one of those guys that gets paid and then gets lazy ...