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#CapHell
#KickingTheCan

Are for one of our resident slide-rule savants who has been telling us the "hell" is right around the corner for years... because we constantly "kick the can". I believe his profile is actually a foot kicking a can.

I think we are coming out of cap hell. While it's impossible to say, I do wonder if we would've been more apt to spend on a short-term FA QB if we didn't have so much tied up in Watson. I'd like to think we would've spent more to shore up the Oline.

He wasn't the only one. Our other resident "I like to pick fights & twist people's words" was also routinely propping this nonsense up.

We were never in cap hell and aren't now.

I just think the options were extremely limited on the O-line. I do think it will end up being an improvement, but I'm hoping to get better in 2027.

Agree with that. We also have more new blood to work our way through and a season without great expectations. Berry didn't want to do anything foolish in front of that.

And Oober, you're right, in essence Watson is the short-term QB. Can't cut him and the room would be way to crowded if we signed anyone else. If we trade Gabriel or Sanders, that could be a possibility.

Given the Line play and the WR play, I'm not sure we have anything to compare., As an offense, we just weren't good and with those problems so evident, I'm not sure we know who's the best.....

When did you do that?

It's being reported that Judkins is officially a "full-go" for Training Camp.

Remembering back to the game where he went down with the knee/leg, this is absolutely phenomenal.

Browns Sign Grant Delpit to a 3-yr extension

https://nfltraderumors.co/breaking-browns-signing-s-grant-delpit-to-three-year-extension/

Can't believe we've been able to extend Ward to a deal that has made him the highest paid DB and Delpit within 24 hours in all the #CapHell we're in!

Lots of good news on injury fronts!!

These deals didn't change any money for 2026. What it did was extend Ward, who was already signed through 2027, through 2029. All new money is coming in years 27-29, When we get some relief on Watson's deal. I think what this tells me is, the Browns will be all in on a rookie QB or One of the (3) already on the roster in Sanders, Gabriel and Green, who are all on low money rookie deals. Sanders and Gabriel will be coming off their rookie deals in 2029, which is the last year of these contracts and Green is signed through 2030, if he makes the roster.

Delpit is a new 3 year deal that commences in 2027 and runs through 2029.

Myles money is only half of what it would have been in 2027, so some of his money was probably calculated into these deals.

Verse is still on his rookie deal through 2027 and then the 5th year option in 2028, so I don't really know of any player now that is in line for a new deal by the end of this year OR the next. I think everyone is signed through 2028. Jerry Jeudy and Watson are the only other major players with expiring contracts before 2028, Watson after this year and Jeudy after 2027, which right now I don't see him getting extended..Some minor contracts that can be looked at are Maliek Collins and special teams. Collins is 31 now, so he probably isn't in the future plans for the Browns. Only other one of note is Dawand Jones, who I don't think anyone is losing sleep over.

I didn't remember Fannin getting injured. Hope it doesn't linger

Kickin' two cans down the road at once? Stupid can kickers!

Jadeveon Clowney was in the house today.

Here's the basic pulse of the convo surrounding that visit...

Clowney with 8.5 sacks from the left side last year. That could be a formidable line if he comes back and is still strong. Gotta wonder where that wall is around his corner though.Dudes 33. He did that in 6 starts by the way.. that might be the key. Play very limited snaps when they are needed the most.

Teams always want players for the rotation. Dline is one of those positions where age isn't as much of a factor as it is with some other positions. It's not unusual to see players play up towards 40 and still bring the juice. He may not chase down plays from behind anymore, but if not the problem isn't Clowney. He has always been one of the strongest guys on the field. If he still has that strength, he should be good to go for another few years.

I'd be happy if we sign him.

I’d like to see us sign him too. He’s good for DL rotation and a mentor to some of our younger guys. If AB had him in then it shows interest on the part of both parties. Maybe Myles was the issue back then.

Thanks for the details. It seems some still aren't getting it.

I'm well aware the deals will not change anything regarding 2026 money (although I think the new contract language could, technically).....but that's not my point.

The argument some posters have attempted to make (and have routinely failed at proving) goes well beyond a contract as it relates to one year of it, or a final year of one deal towards the extension of another. It is the way Berry has structured essentially all of the players' contracts (minimum vet salary allocation in the first year, multiple void years structuring the bonus amortization post deal, etc.) and how that was allegedly a scheme to "put us in cap hell" by "kicking the can" resulting in the Browns not being able to afford big contracts as a result. Clearly, as much as some posters have prognosticated this would happen, it hasn't. And it hasn't come close to happening.....even with Watson's massive contract and yearly restructuring. But hey.... we're six years in to this theory some have, so anything can happen.

Yeah, that's it. These signings don't effect this year or even next year for the most part. They don't kick in until part of the mess created is gone. watson being the biggest one. Anything can happen now because the albatross that Berry inflicted around the neck of this team will soon be departing and these contracts are all built around that departure.

The Browns have been financially strapped as well as restricted in building the team through the draft by one of the worse failed experiments in the NFL. No amount of BS to the contrary can change that.

FFS - this idea that some fans want to continue to believe in that Berry is some sort of Cap Savant that can see and do things that others can't is a complete myth. Along with the idea that the salary cap doesn't matter and making mistakes like Watson can be manipulated around not to matter ....

Yes the mistakes can be manipulated around but every contract and every contract manipulation means the finite amount of cap space is used up on a non-contributing resource .... or maybe the player (let's use Watson as an Example) then Watson MIGHT contribute but not at the level that his salary allocation SHOULD achieve.

So no - we aren't suddenly going to have a 49 man roster because we can't afford a full squad - but the quality of that squad, the ability to sign high quality free agents and the ability to resign players we want to keep is all impacted. Period.

And none of these contact extensions happened until Myles was traded either.

The thing that Berry has going for him is the amount of cash ownership allows him to play with. THAT is the single biggest advantage he has over other GMs. Every time he converts money to bonuses, the owner group must cover that in cash escrow. Teams like the Bengals don't put up cash in escrow, they go off of actual contracts.

The "Can Kicking" is less impactful for the simple reason the cap is rising by $16m-30m per year. So taking a 4-year contract and restructuring it 2-3 times, gives that contract close to $60M in inflation to cover it. Until the trend ends, he will be able to continue to manipulate it because Haslem gives him the escrow to do it.

It's not rocket science, but not all GMs have the tools to do what Berry has done and he does it to perfection.


I think that was just timing with training camp starting. Many teams use training camp to sign extensions.

I can't say with any certainty why it turned out the way it did. From my own personal perspective I'm just not big on believing in coincidences. The question for me becomes a simple one, did trading Garrett open up future cap space to make these extensions easier? It would seem that clearing future cap space opens up the ability to spend future cap space. But as I stated, I can't say that with any degree of certainty.

Oh, I'm sure your on the money when it comes to future cap space being there with Myles contract gone. However, they will need to start thinking about Verse contract in the coming future.. I think he is signed through 2027 if I remember correctly. I've been looking at a lot of contracts the last couple of days. Even though Myles is the best defensive player in the league, Verse contract will probably rival his current contract since it is 2 years into the future.

But, yeah, I agree, Garrett's money being gone after 2027 definitely helps signing extensions now through 2029. I think Myles contract was actually good through 2031 money?! So, all 2028-2031 will be cleared after the 2027 season.