Analyzing the Cleveland Browns 2020 Overall Cap

The Browns have the most cap space in the NFL. GM Andrew Berry has plenty of flexibility to sign free agents and in 2021 he has big decisions for new contracts.

General manager Andrew Berry used 2020 free agency to establish his offense while retaining the flexibility to dramatically improve the defense in 2021. Navigating the franchises salary cap will be essential to retaining the young core of talent the roster possesses. Franchise players such as Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Larry Ogunjobi and Nick Chubb are all inching closer to a second contract which will tighten overall cap space in the future. Berry is sitting comfortably now as these players are still on their rookie contracts but maintaining cap space flexibility will be crucial to resign young players and signing new players during free agency as well.

The Cleveland Browns currently sit atop the NFL with the most cap space having $43,495,994 available according to Spotrac. The front office has the capability to win bidding wars for the top remaining free agents such as Jadeveon Clowney or Jason Peters, but Andrew Berry is being frugal with the organization’s money and rightfully so. Examining the team’s current cap space allocation there are players with staggering cap hits. Olivier Vernon commands the team’s largest cap hit currently set to be paid $15.5 million for the final year of his contract. The next two highest salary cap hits should come to no surprise as they belong to wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, at $14.55 million and $14.25 million respectively. Wrapping up the top five largest salaries are DT Sheldon Richardson at $13.66 million and center J.C. Tretter whom signed an extension last year earning $9.97 million.

Andrew Berry’s financial decisions involved spending money aggressively yet smartly in free agency. Berry began free agency releasing a handful of overpriced veterans, such as Christian Kirksey, T.J. Carrie and Morgan Burnett amongst others. Moving on from veteran players saved the Browns over $24.2 million in cap space for 2020. Another veteran that could be released to save additional cap space is CB Terrance Mitchell. If Andrew Berry decides to move on from Mitchell, he can save $3 million in cap space with very little dead cap. Although releasing those players saved money there are consequences to terminating certain contracts early. The franchise will pay $12,450,237 in dead money for players no longer on the Browns. Dead cap hits on contracts can really sway teams to retaining players for another year or give organizations freedom to move on.

Olivier Vernon is a player that falls in the category of complete organizational freedom. Vernon has no more guaranteed money for the last year of his contract and his release would create no dead money. This also provides an opportunity for Andrew Berry to trade Vernon to an EDGE-needy team that is looking to make a playoff push. Trading the veteran edge rusher may be a more difficult task than advertised because of his high price tag. The premium for an edge rusher is increasing more and more each year but for the salary owed to Vernon, an organization expects consistent availability and better production. Andrew Berry has retained him thus far, and it will be a story to follow throughout the offseason.

Based on the current roster plus an estimated $10 million for drafted and undrafted players, the Cleveland Browns will rollover roughly $33.2 million into 2021. There will be huge financial decision awaiting Andrew Berry such as the fifth-year options on Myles Garrett and David Njoku, also the expiring contract of DT Larry Ogunjobi. Myles Garrett is the most important signing of these players and he will deservedly command a market value contract of $20.1 million annually. Garrett is already one of the top edge rushers in the league and he should remain in Cleveland for the next decade. Exercising the other option for David Njoku is up for debate as the young tight end has not lived up to expectations and this season may be make or break. If Berry does exercise the team option on Njoku he would be paid about $6.28 million to see if he can earn himself a second contract with the franchise. Lastly, third round pick Larry Ogunjobi could be resigned on a team friendly three-year market contract worth $26 million.

Cleveland has $94,293,003 in projected cap space for 2021 and the number will surely change with contract extensions and various players are moved via cut or trade. If the proposed moves above are made, Berry will have roughly $60 million in cap space available before any cap saving moves are made. Analyzing the entire cap situation between the next two seasons, the Cleveland Browns are in good position to resign their homegrown talent. Andrew Berry learned under Sashi Brown’s tutelage to efficiently manage cap space and extending important players sooner rather than later. Berry has said all the right things and as long as he maintains the franchises overall cap space, he can be as aggressive as he wants in acquiring talent.