Welcome to the off season. Before we get into wishes and hopes, Berry has to eliminate a minimum of about 31M in cap cost before March 12th. Of course, that doesn't leave any money or cap room for FA's and the draft, so it'll have to be substantially more than 31M. During this time frame, Berry must also decide which of the Browns 27 current FA's he intends to sign. Though it goes without saying that the Browns need QB help, a bigger need would be OT where 5 of the 7 rostered are FA's with all of the LT's on that list. The defense technically returns all starters from 2024 where the offense could lose 4 starters in WR Moore, LT Hudson, QB Watson and RB Chubb. Depth is also an issue on th OL with only 1 G-Zinter, 1 C-Wympler, and 1 RT-Jones under contract. The offense also has 4 more starters becoming FA's in '26. A lot of maneuvering needs to be done by Berry. who do you think he should keep or not? There's certainly a lot of holes, which are the most important?
LEGEND Green - 2025 FA's (27) White - 2026 FA's (21) Yellow - Rookies this past season (9) Orange - Under contract for '25 & '26 excluding PS (18)
OFFENSE LWR 19 Tillman, Cedric 23/3 - 81 (RFA26) Woods II, Michael 22/6 - 80 (R) Thrash, Jamari 24/5 RWR 3 Jeudy, Jerry T/Den - 11 (UFA) Proche II, James SF23 - 89 (ERFA26) Davis, Kaden SF24 SWR 8 (UFA) Moore, Elijah T/NYJ - 18 (UFA26) Bell, David 22/3 LT 66 (UFA) Hudson III, James 21/4 - 71 (UFA) Wills Jr., Jedrick 20/1 - 65 (UFA) IFEDI, GERMAIN SF24 LG 75 (UFA26) BITONIO, JOEL 14/2 - 68 (UFA) DUNN, MICHAEL SF20 C 55 (UFA26) Pocic, Ethan U/Sea - 56 Wypler, Luke 23/6 - 53 (UFA) Harris, Nick 20/5 RG 77 (UFA26) TELLER, WYATT T/Buf - 70 (R) Zinter, Zak 24/3 RT 78 CONKLIN, JACK U/Ten - 79 Jones, Dawand 23/4 - 74 (UFA) Adeniji, Hakeem U/Min - 72 (UFA) Christian, Geron P/LAR TE 85 (UFA26) Njoku, David 17/1 - 88 (UFA) AKINS, JORDAN U/Hou - 84 (UFA) SWAIM, GEOFF U/Arz - 86 Whiteheart, Blake SF24 - 82 (R) Bates, Brenden QB 4 Watson, Deshaun T/Hou - 2 (RFA) Zappe, Bailey P/KC - 17 Thompson-Robinson, Dorian 23/5 - 5 (UFA) WINSTON, JAMEIS U/NO RB 24 (UFA) Chubb, Nick 18/2 - 34 (UFA26) Ford, Jerome 22/5 - 20 (UFA26) Strong Jr., Pierre T/NE - 27 (UFA) Foreman, D'Onta U/Chi - 22 (UFA) Hines, Nyheim CC/Buf - 42 (ERFA) Kelly Jr., John SF24
DEFENSE LDE 95 Garrett, Myles 17/1 - 91 (UFA26) Wright, Alex 22/3 - 99 (UFA26) Thomas, Cameron W/KC LDT 94 TOMLINSON, DALVIN U/Min - 90 (UFA) Hurst II, Maurice U/SF - 92 (RFA26) Kamara, Sam SF22 RDT 93 (UFA26) HARRIS, SHELBY CC/Sea - 51 (R) Hall Jr., Mike 24/2 - 97 (R) Briggs, Jowon 24/7 - 62 (ERFA) Dwumfour, Michael SF24 RDE 57 McGuire, Isaiah 23/4 - 54 Okoronkwo, Ogbo U/Hou - 96 (RFA) Houston, James W/Det WLB 6 Owusu-Koramoah, Jeremiah 21/2 - 30 (UFA) Bush, Devin U/Sea - 39 (UFA) Hudson, Khaleke P/NO MLB 58 (UFA26) HICKS, JORDAN U/Min - 59 (ERFA) Reid, Winston CF24 SLB 43 (RFA26) Diabate, Mohamoud CF23 - 40 (R) Watson, Nathaniel 24/6 LCB 21 Ward, Denzel 18/1 - 31 (UFA) Ford Jr., Mike SF24 - 35 (R)Anusiem, Chigozie P/Was SS 9 Delpit, Grant 20/2 - 12 (UFA) MCLEOD JR., RODNEY U/Ind - 41 (R) Edmonds, Christopher CF24 FS 1 (UFA26) Thornhill, Juan U/KC - 33 (RFA26) Hickman, Ronnie CF23 - 37 (RFA) Bell, D'Anthony CF22 RCB 23 (UFA26) Emerson Jr., Martin 22/3 - 38 (UFA) Brown II, Tony SF24 NB 0 (UFA26) Newsome II, Greg 21/1 - 29 Mitchell, Cameron 23/5 - 26 (R) Harden, Myles 24/7
SPECIAL TEAMS PT 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB PK 7 HOPKINS, DUSTIN T/LAC LS 47 HUGHLETT, CHARLEY P/KC - 50 (ERFA26) Sunahara, Rex SF24 H 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB KO 13 (UFA26) Bojorquez, Corey U/GB PR 11 (UFA) Proche II, James SF23 - 8 (UFA) Moore, Elijah T/NYJ KR 34 (UFA26) Ford, Jerome 22/5 - 20 (UFA26) Strong Jr., Pierre T/NE - 89 (ERFA26) Davis, Kaden SF24
RESERVES (PS) FUT 67 Cohen, Javion OG 28 Dean III, Trey S 98 Haynes, Marcus DE 87 McKitty, Tre' TE 60 Pearl, Julian OT FUT 61 Mbaeteka, Roy OT 69 Thompson, Lorenzo OT 52 Smith, Elerson DE 10 Szmyt, Andre PK Latham, Brady OG FUT Holley, Ralph DT Hairston, Troy FB
I've said this before (and I doubt it's going to happen), but I wouldn't mind seeing Wills back to compete for the RT spot on a manageable deal. Somebody is going to pay him to be a LT, though.
I'm also fine losing Hudson, but that leaves a very injury-prone stable of OT's. If we're strapped for cash, finding a solution for the LT position is going to be really tough.
I'm curious what they're going to do with Moore. I could see him either coming back on a manageable deal or signing back with us after striking out elsewhere. This offseason could be the end of the line for David Bell.
Really hope they keep the DL together.
Looks like the RB room is going to go through another clean sweep (other than Chubb, I imagine). I hope one of the new faces in there is a drafted rookie.
One person that is a good candidate to move on would be Teller, IMO. He's been on a steady downward trend, I think. Nick Harris is probably gone too, but I hope they hang onto Dunn.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has proven yet again to be an exceptional manager of the financial side of football.
The Browns enter the 2025 offseason with $41.9 million in rollover salary cap, the second most in the NFL. This financial buffer offers much-needed relief from the immense pressure Deshaun Watson’s massive contract puts on Cleveland’s cap space.
As matters stand today, the Browns are $29.9 million over the salary cap for 2025, however, with Andrew Berry at the helm the team should be able to navigate smoothly along.
It is common practice in today’s NFL to renegotiate contracts to convert guarantees into performance bonuses and extend the money saved in the current season across multiple seasons down the road.
The process to get under the cap ceiling has already begun as back in December, Deshaun Watson’s contract was extended by one year with no added money. Expect more of the same manipulation of contracts already on our books over the coming months leading to free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has proven yet again to be an exceptional manager of the financial side of football.
The Browns enter the 2025 offseason with $41.9 million in rollover salary cap, the second most in the NFL. This financial buffer offers much-needed relief from the immense pressure Deshaun Watson’s massive contract puts on Cleveland’s cap space.
As matters stand today, the Browns are $29.9 million over the salary cap for 2025, however, with Andrew Berry at the helm the team should be able to navigate smoothly along.
It is common practice in today’s NFL to renegotiate contracts to convert guarantees into performance bonuses and extend the money saved in the current season across multiple seasons down the road.
The process to get under the cap ceiling has already begun as back in December, Deshaun Watson’s contract was extended by one year with no added money. Expect more of the same manipulation of contracts already on our books over the coming months leading to free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
This article is just fine and dandy for some. What it isn't telling you though is Berry has generated Total Existing Dead Money of $39,744,384 with his playing with the contracts. It's not telling you that the rollover salary cap from 2024 just barely covers the dead money in 2025 so far.
DEAD MONEY SO FAR IN 2025 Amari Cooper - $22,584,000 Za'Darius Smith - $14,233,000 Quinton Jefferson - $1,960,000 Siaki Ika - $428,756 David Bell - $212,255 Nathaniel Watson - $122,043 Jowon Briggs - $66,423 Michael Woods - $42,073 Javion Cohen - $20,000 Lorenzo Thompson - $16,666 Ahmarean Brown - $13,334 Michael Dwumfour - $12,500 Winston Reid - $10,000 Treyton Welch - $10,000 Chris Edmonds - $6,667 Aidan Robbins - $6,667
TO BE ADDED IF FA's NOT RESIGNED Jedrick Wills - $11,812,516 Jameis Winston - $2,232,000
So, if Wills and Winston leave, that Dead Money for 2025 balloons to $53,788,900 and the rollover salary cap from 2024 of $41.9 million now fails to cover.
Of course I figured in the cap increase. It is projected to be between 265M and 275M and I used the high number of 275M for all my calculations. In 2024, the NFL Cap was 255.4M. Using 275M for 2025 is a 19.6M increase or 7.7% increase in the cap. 2024's increase was 30M because they were trying to catch up with the COVID reductions. The Browns had $14,972,782 in dead cap for 2024. This year's projected Dead Cap of $53,788,900 is 359% higher than 2024 and 2026's Dead Money is projected to be higher than this year's total.
That's why I continue to stress, the increase annually in the cap doesn't come close to covering the dead money Berry is generating. Remember, the Browns had the highest spend in the NFL last season and it got the team a 3-14 record. Kicking the Can Down the Road eventually has to be accounted for on the cap.
Of course I figured in the cap increase. It is projected to be between 265M and 275M and I used the high number of 275M for all my calculations. In 2024, the NFL Cap was 255.4M. Using 275M for 2025 is a 19.6M increase or 7.7% increase in the cap. 2024's increase was 30M because they were trying to catch up with the COVID reductions. The Browns had $14,972,782 in dead cap for 2024. This year's projected Dead Cap of $53,788,900 is 359% higher than 2024 and 2026's Dead Money is projected to be higher than this year's total.
That's why I continue to stress, the increase annually in the cap doesn't come close to covering the dead money Berry is generating. Remember, the Browns had the highest spend in the NFL last season and it got the team a 3-14 record. Kicking the Can Down the Road eventually has to be accounted for on the cap.
Only if the cap goes down. Then the team has to pay the piper. As long as the owner is willing to pay up front $ in signing bonuses. With that said they will not be going out and signing 20 million a season free agents but their cap is manageable. Only 2 things will change that. Haslam becomes unwilling to spend $ up front or the salary cap goes down.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has proven yet again to be an exceptional manager of the financial side of football.
The Browns enter the 2025 offseason with $41.9 million in rollover salary cap, the second most in the NFL. This financial buffer offers much-needed relief from the immense pressure Deshaun Watson’s massive contract puts on Cleveland’s cap space.
As matters stand today, the Browns are $29.9 million over the salary cap for 2025, however, with Andrew Berry at the helm the team should be able to navigate smoothly along.
It is common practice in today’s NFL to renegotiate contracts to convert guarantees into performance bonuses and extend the money saved in the current season across multiple seasons down the road.
The process to get under the cap ceiling has already begun as back in December, Deshaun Watson’s contract was extended by one year with no added money. Expect more of the same manipulation of contracts already on our books over the coming months leading to free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
So either fans want to believe Berry is a Cap Genius that can do things no other GM can do - bearing in mind that contracts are public and the NFL is a copy cat league - OR maybe what Berry is doing to massage the numbers each year is not actually that desirable unless you need to massage and manipulate contracts that are problematic.
Yes the salary cap keeps going up - but every dollar commited to paying players over their value to the team (eg Watson) is money that can't be spent on acquiring better talent from the FA pool. And I don't mean stars and elite FA's I mean free agents that can be backups or in the rotation. Dead money is simply money we aren't getting any value from whatsoever - every team has some but limiting it is obvioulsy the goal. CLE is currently 2nd on the Dead Cap list for 2025.... and we still have DW on the books.
How you handle DW and eventually move on from him is an issue - but you could reasonably argue based on his performance and the fact CLE would have cut him if not for the contract, his entire contract is dead money. If you did that you'd more than double our offical Dead space and we'd be double any other team. Great stuff and certainly nothing to worry about as long as talking heads and fans keep reminding us that Berry is a genius.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Bugs - comment was not aimed at you specifically, we see a lot of praise and posts telling us Berry is brilliant. He might be great at manipulating the Cap ... but he might need to be because player evaluation and acquisition has been bad?
The more things change the more they stay the same.
The Browns find themselves in one of the worst cap situations in the league. Deshaun Watson's contract is cumbersome, and the Browns have managed their books in such a manner that they will need to continue to kick the can down the road to clear immediate cap space. Occasionally, that means parting with talented players to get some breathing room.
Jack Conklin could be the first to go. He's one of the few players who could be cut before June 1 and clear some cap space. There's only $4.6 million available in cap relief, but every bit is going to help Cleveland. If they make him a post-June 1 cut, he would clear $14.6 million.
Conklin's injury history and Dawand Jones' ability to take over at right tackle make Conklin a likely cap casualty.
2. LB Jordan Hicks - $4.2 million
The Browns have limited cut options to clear cap space, so Hicks stands out. Cutting him ahead of free agency would clear $1.5 million in cap space. It's not much, but Hicks will turn 33 ahead of the season and missed five games this season with various injuries.
The Browns are going to need to develop some younger starters at the position. Mohamoud Diabate did some good things to show he can have a role next season, and there are always veteran linebackers available in the summer when the Browns should have more cap room.
3. G Joel Bitonio - $19.1 million (Post-June 1)
The Browns have enjoyed the benefits of one of the best guard duos in the league for several years in Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end eventually. The curtain may close on the pair this offseason as they are set to account for a combined cap hit of nearly $35 million.
Bitonio is the more likely of the two to be moved. Ideally, there would be a trade market for him, but he will turn 34 during the next season. The Browns could only cut him with a post-June 1 designation, though. That would clear $8.4 million in space, while there is no space to be made with a pre-June 1 cut.
The above tells us that there is very limited cap space savings on a pre-June 1st cut of these players. Clearly not enough to put a dent in the $32.7M the Browns must recover in cuts by March 12th. Post June 1st will net about $26M in cap savings but again, it does not address the $32.7M the Browns must reduce by March 12th or the funds to participate in Free Agency or the draft.
Bugs - comment was not aimed at you specifically, we see a lot of praise and posts telling us Berry is brilliant. He might be great at manipulating the Cap ... but he might need to be because player evaluation and acquisition has been bad?
I chuckle every time I read that AB is some kind of cap guru. He's not any smarter or more-plugged-in than any other GM when it comes to the cap. It's all about Jimmah's money.
I shake my head when I read that we are not in a cap-crunch because the cap goes up every year. The cap goes up every year for EVERY TEAM. So every other team has more money to spend on actually improving their roster...rather than just flying under the cap...and living with dead cap money due to poor talent evaluation.
At least he's gotten the most important position in sports under wraps for all that money spent with a properly-aged roster ready to compete for the playoffs...no...scratch that.
The only thing AB has a good handle on is spending Jimmah's money.
Here's a link to the Browns mission statement...or vision...or whatever they call it.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has proven yet again to be an exceptional manager of the financial side of football.
The Browns enter the 2025 offseason with $41.9 million in rollover salary cap, the second most in the NFL. This financial buffer offers much-needed relief from the immense pressure Deshaun Watson’s massive contract puts on Cleveland’s cap space.
As matters stand today, the Browns are $29.9 million over the salary cap for 2025, however, with Andrew Berry at the helm the team should be able to navigate smoothly along.
It is common practice in today’s NFL to renegotiate contracts to convert guarantees into performance bonuses and extend the money saved in the current season across multiple seasons down the road.
The process to get under the cap ceiling has already begun as back in December, Deshaun Watson’s contract was extended by one year with no added money. Expect more of the same manipulation of contracts already on our books over the coming months leading to free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
I tend to agree with the position that it won't be too difficult to get under the cap. Also, if the reports are true, there is an expected $33MM coming off the cap due to Watson's 2024 injury.
Quote
Based on what has been reported, Cleveland would recoup around $33 million in salary cap space this offseason due to missing most of the 2024 season. Another $44.3 million will be added in 2026 if Watson misses all of the 2025 season with the injury, based on reports.
And I'd expect more contract restructures to take place as per usual. That's not to say guys won't get cut do their their 2025 cost compared to performance and/or age, but that really doesn't correlate to the "cap hell" narrative floating around here for the 4th consecutive offseason.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
Some more info, if not already shared earlier.....
Quote
The CBA labels insurance proceeds as a “refund from the player,” which qualifies the amount as a cap credit for the club for the following season. In the simplest terms, if a player who eats up a significant portion of a club’s salary cap misses significant time with injury or illness, a club doesn’t have to take it as a total loss, but can recover space for the following year. Plus, insurance premium payments don’t count against the salary cap.
According to the article, Cleveland insured just over $58 million this year. With the season halfway over, that could mean the Browns would save $29 million in salary cap space next season. If Watson were to miss games next year due to the injury, which could depend on a number of variables, cap space for 2026 could be saved as well.
Last year’s injury to Watson gave Cleveland another $4 million in cap space in 2024 based on how much they insured in 2023.
We will continue to keep you up to date on how Watson’s injury impacts the Browns cap space as more information and reporting become available.
Bugs - comment was not aimed at you specifically, we see a lot of praise and posts telling us Berry is brilliant. He might be great at manipulating the Cap ... but he might need to be because player evaluation and acquisition has been bad?
I chuckle every time I read that AB is some kind of cap guru. He's not any smarter or more-plugged-in than any other GM when it comes to the cap. It's all about Jimmah's money.
I shake my head when I read that we are not in a cap-crunch because the cap goes up every year. The cap goes up every year for EVERY TEAM. So every other team has more money to spend on actually improving their roster...rather than just flying under the cap...and living with dead cap money due to poor talent evaluation.
At least he's gotten the most important position in sports under wraps for all that money spent with a properly-aged roster ready to compete for the playoffs...no...scratch that.
The only thing AB has a good handle on is spending Jimmah's money.
Here's a link to the Browns mission statement...or vision...or whatever they call it.
I can no longer scoff at suggestions that the Browns aren't focused on winning.
This is correct if the owner is willing to pay $$$ then that allows the GM to manipulate the cap the way Berry does. Other teams do this also. Some owners do not pay the big $$$ and the cap effects them differently.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Bugs - comment was not aimed at you specifically, we see a lot of praise and posts telling us Berry is brilliant. He might be great at manipulating the Cap ... but he might need to be because player evaluation and acquisition has been bad?
I chuckle every time I read that AB is some kind of cap guru. He's not any smarter or more-plugged-in than any other GM when it comes to the cap. It's all about Jimmah's money.
I shake my head when I read that we are not in a cap-crunch because the cap goes up every year. The cap goes up every year for EVERY TEAM. So every other team has more money to spend on actually improving their roster...rather than just flying under the cap...and living with dead cap money due to poor talent evaluation.
At least he's gotten the most important position in sports under wraps for all that money spent with a properly-aged roster ready to compete for the playoffs...no...scratch that.
The only thing AB has a good handle on is spending Jimmah's money.
Here's a link to the Browns mission statement...or vision...or whatever they call it.
I can no longer scoff at suggestions that the Browns aren't focused on winning.
This is correct if the owner is willing to pay $$$ then that allows the GM to manipulate the cap the way Berry does. Other teams do this also. Some owners do not pay the big $$$ and the cap effects them differently.
Where I give the FO credit is the ability to recognize this potential edge when addressing contracts. I have no idea if it was Berry's idea, DePodesta's, or even something drummed up when Sashi was in charge of the cap and our GM. It is not like the Haslem's are the richest owners in the NFL and, as a result, can manipulate their cap situation everyone else cannot. According to the site referenced below (perhaps others have different conclusions), the Haslems are essentially the middle of the pack when it comes to wealth. I suppose that is different to owners considered more liquid than others, but I wouldn't be surprised if wealthier owners don't have the same model as the one the Browns are implementing. I suppose research would need to be done to see that but I'd go out on a limb and say the top half of owners wealthier than the Haslems are not addressing the cap, and contracts, the same way we are.
What I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that as the salary cap increases, so do player salaries. The price of contracts and players in the FA market increase as the salary cap does. So this theory that salary cap increases will cover the increased money deferred every year will in fact work as a roadblock to having the cap money to sign top FA's. You can't spend the same money on two things at a time.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
What I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that as the salary cap increases, so do player salaries. The price of contracts and players in the FA market increase as the salary cap does. So this theory that salary cap increases will cover the increased money deferred every year will in fact work as a roadblock to having the cap money to sign top FA's. You can't spend the same money on two things at a time.
Ditto, this is the exact reason the Browns currently sit $32.7M over the cap and have 27 Free Agent positions to address whether that's a resign, FA, or draft pick. I would also suspect that 90% of those contracts will cost more than the 27 contracts of the FA players made last year. It is true that the Browns can recover about $26M from cutting the 3 players I listed in a previous post but that's 3 more bodies the Browns will have to replace, and that money isn't available until after June 1st. Another huge drawback would be the Browns heading into free agency with only 1 OT under contract from last year's team. If the Browns are going to carry 7 OT's again, that would mean the addition of 6 either through FA and/or the draft. At guard, if they bounce Bitonio, the Browns will only have 2 guards that were rostered last year in Teller and Zinter. That would mean adding 2 either through FA and/or the draft. That's 8 players needed either through FA and/or the draft just for the o-line. With Berry's record on talent evaluation, not feeling too good about him selecting 8 FA's or draftees for just the o-line not to mention the other positions. JMHO
What I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that as the salary cap increases, so do player salaries. The price of contracts and players in the FA market increase as the salary cap does. So this theory that salary cap increases will cover the increased money deferred every year will in fact work as a roadblock to having the cap money to sign top FA's. You can't spend the same money on two things at a time.
Ditto, this is the exact reason the Browns currently sit $32.7M over the cap and have 27 Free Agent positions to address whether that's a resign, FA, or draft pick. I would also suspect that 90% of those contracts will cost more than the 27 contracts of the FA players made last year. It is true that the Browns can recover about $26M from cutting the 3 players I listed in a previous post but that's 3 more bodies the Browns will have to replace, and that money isn't available until after June 1st. Another huge drawback would be the Browns heading into free agency with only 1 OT under contract from last year's team. If the Browns are going to carry 7 OT's again, that would mean the addition of 6 either through FA and/or the draft. At guard, if they bounce Bitonio, the Browns will only have 2 guards that were rostered last year in Teller and Zinter. That would mean adding 2 either through FA and/or the draft. That's 8 players needed either through FA and/or the draft just for the o-line. With Berry's record on talent evaluation, not feeling too good about him selecting 8 FA's or draftees for just the o-line not to mention the other positions. JMHO
There are players that will be getting cut that are not in the FO's plans for 2025 no doubt. Juan Thornhill or others for example maybe someone you had listed maybe not. There will be players traded Greg Newsome. He was almost dealt last year. Then there will be players that will restructure or sign new contracts to free space for 2025. Also, Watson's 2024 season was insured and the fact he missed half the season they will get some insurance $ for that and it will free more space. Again, they are not going to be able to go get a 20-million-dollar free agent this year. But the Browns are not cap strapped in 2025. They will resign a hand full of their own players and get some decent one-year rental type players to fill gaps. The sky is not falling or they would have traded away Myles Garrett and Denzil Ward and started over.
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
I’ve been wondering about that. There’s probably some going-on that we won’t hear much about until the hammer falls. How he was re-injured might be the big one, iirc from reading here.
If he cannot play next year there is a policy that would pay out something like $40 million .... but it would not count against the cap until 2026.
Our best possibility is that he hurt himself skydiving, so we could cut him without horrible consequences, and still recoup the insurance policy for what he had already pushed forward.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
I chuckle every time I read that AB is some kind of cap guru. He's not any smarter or more-plugged-in than any other GM when it comes to the cap. It's all about Jimmah's money.
I mean, Jack Duffin, some Londoner who has oddly adopted the Browns, can foresee the cap moves because he has the time and inclination to play with numbers on Over The Cap and/or Spotrac.
It doesn't take a brilliant mind to know that the Browns are going to sign Garrett to the largest DE contract in the NFL, and end up with a paltry cap hit because Jimmy will pay the majority of the first year in the form of a signing bonus to give the FO cap flexibility.
I mean... give him credit for the original idea. The rest of the NFL was also collectively losing its mind because Berry weaponized Haslam's ability and willingness to spend unlike most other owners. It WAS a novel thing.
That said, it's now biting us because some of the players this was used on aren't delivering. Watson, obviously, but I'd also include Conklin. Conklin's contract is also a salary cap boat anchor... and this REALLY becomes a problem (IMO) because he is (arguably) our most solid tackle. Wills is likely gone, leaving us with Dawand Jones, Conklin, and.... depth guys(?)... and neither of those starters have been reliably available. We need (at least) a solid LT for the upcoming season... and if we try to get that via FA, it's going to cost a pretty penny.
So I do credit him for leveraging an advantage we have in a way that other GMs haven't, but in the end it's still all about identifying and acquiring talent.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
I chuckle every time I read that AB is some kind of cap guru. He's not any smarter or more-plugged-in than any other GM when it comes to the cap. It's all about Jimmah's money.
I mean, Jack Duffin, some Londoner who has oddly adopted the Browns, can foresee the cap moves because he has the time and inclination to play with numbers on Over The Cap and/or Spotrac.
It doesn't take a brilliant mind to know that the Browns are going to sign Garrett to the largest DE contract in the NFL, and end up with a paltry cap hit because Jimmy will pay the majority of the first year in the form of a signing bonus to give the FO cap flexibility.
Funny thing, AB may actually be a Cap Guru. If Haslam made him do the deal for Watson, then it was Haslam that is the person responsible. AB has other than that, done a pretty nifty job with the cap
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
I mean... give him credit for the original idea. The rest of the NFL was also collectively losing its mind because Berry weaponized Haslam's ability and willingness to spend unlike most other owners. It WAS a novel thing.
Eh, the Saints had been doing this for awhile. Haslam just gave Berry an open checkbook. I do not believe NFL teams and GMs were losing the minds. The NFL talking heads and fans were, however.
Browns and QBs- we just get hossed every time- Johnny Drugs and Liquor and Deshaun Exposed Johnson....we can sure pick them.....just to go for the trifecta.... the Brown need to pick Milroe-- he of the slow brain and can't hit an open man more than my 76 year old butt.....Go Browns!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
if we indeed go for a bridge QB, we should try to get Aaron Rodgers. i mean...at this point, why not?
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Honestly, I'm not sure if the talent of any player we add really matters. We need to figure out how to inject confidence and belief into (/throughout) the franchise.
I think we need to figure out how to get Myles to buy back in. Players look to the team's best guys. Unfortunately, I think that was part of the problem last season. Nobody really seemed to buy into the offense. When players aren't confident/are hesitant, it doesn't work in the NFL.
Is there a plan that the team will buy into? Or are we stuck in the belief that we'll always sink back to the "same old Browns"?
Are the problems the "plans"? Or the "psychic suckhole"?
You mess with the "Bull," you get the horns. Fiercely Independent.
All of what you’re saying at this point makes sense and seems to be true. However, our QB problem will probably be solved unexpectedly. We will simply sign a vet QB, draft one in April and when DW gets healthy and his confidence back we will plug him into our new offense and he will become the guy we expected to see when we traded for him. Problem solved!!!
QB Index Ranking all 59 starting quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL season: Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen at No. 1? Published: Feb 13, 2025 at 03:57 PM Nick Shook - Around The NFL Writer
Just another reason why Berry and Stefanski should have been left go. That Top 10 QB they craved so much was already a Cleveland Brown, and they traded him away.
Yet the GM, HC, and Haslam mortgaged the team for a so-called elite QB when they already had one on the team. It was Berry and Stefanski's job to support and groom the QB skills to elite status. Obviously, he must have had the skill set as demonstrated by his performances in Tampa. You may call it hindsight; I call it piss poor performance by a GM and HC. 5-years in charge and the Browns QB situation is worse now than when they arrived!
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