Browns Have NFL's Most Top-Heavy Roster After Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Deal

On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns inked linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to a three-year extension giving them the most players in the NFL making over $10M per season.

Dec 24, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) celebrates after a play during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday was a monumental day for for the Cleveland Browns franchise, as they extended linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on a three-year deal. The payout for the contract will be $39M with $25M guaranteed. Owusu-Koramoah's base salary in 2024 maxes out at $13M.

This number is significant for the fourth-year linebacker because it officially makes the Browns the most "top-heavy" team in the league. Thanks to Owusu-Koramoah, the Browns now lead the league with 13 players making over $10M in the 2024 NFL Season.

The #Browns now have a league-high 13 players making over $10M per season, as @SpielbergerBrad noted:

- Deshaun Watson: $46M
- Myles Garrett: $25M
- Denzel Ward: $20.1M
- Amari Cooper: $20M
- Jerry Jeudy: $17.5M
- Joel Bitonio: $16M
- Jack Conklin: $15M
- Dalvin… https://t.co/CptLqfM5ME

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 14, 2024

This group is obviously headlined by quarterback Deshaun Wartson's $46M cap hit, but the rest of the list is hard to argue with.

1. Myles Garrett - $25M

2. Denzel Ward - $20.1M

3. Amari Cooper - $20M

4. Jerry Jeudy - $17.5M

5. Joel Bitonio - $16M

6. Jack Conklin - $15M

7. Dalvin Tomlinson - $14.25M

8. Wyatt Teller - $14.2M

9. David Njoku - $13.6M

10. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - $13M

11. Grant Delpit - $12M

12. Za'Darius Smith - $11.5M

Cleveland's 13 players over the $10M threshold broke the tie with the Philadelphia Eagles for the most players in the NFL. The best part about that list? Most of the players on it are homegrown.

Yes, there are some guys on this list who Cleveland went out and signed in free agency, but Garrett, Ward, Bitonio, JOK, Delpit and Njoku all were drafted to the Browns. You could even argue that Teller fits into this category because the Browns traded for him in just his second season.

Cleveland's commitment to growing their draft picks should be commended. It's how they have been able to sustainably build one of the best rosters in the entire NFL.

General manager Andrew Berry has been able to navigate Cleveland's cap so masterfully, and owner Jimmy Haslam has opened his checkbook making it possible for the Browns to make this happen.

The only thing left to do for Cleveland is to cash these paychecks in. Maybe 2024 is the year they are able to do it.