Cleveland Browns: Might Browns re-work Olivier Vernon’s contract?

June 1 is a big day for Cleveland Browns defensive end Olivier Vernon, as his $15 million contract for 2020 becomes guaranteed.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Oliver is a winner of the 2020 offseason, as he’s still on the roster and set to collect $15 million in the final year of his contract.

There’s a caveat though, as his money doesn’t become guaranteed until Jun 1. The Browns could cut him up until that point and pay him nothing, according to Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto.

Andrew Berry talked Vernon up around the draft, further cementing Vernon’s place on the roster. The fact the Browns don’t have a viable replacement for Vernon also makes it hard to cut lose the veteran.

That said, Pluto wondered whether the Browns might be trying to re-work his contract, as the long-time columnist pointed out how Vernon has missed 15 games over the past two seasons.

Surely, the Browns would love to re-work this contract, however, it would appear Vernon has the leverage. The Browns simply can’t go into the season with Adrian Clayborn or Chad Thomas starting opposite of Myles Garrett.

If Vernon is healthy, he’s potentially a great force.

Jadeveon Clowney continues to be mentioned a possible backup, but that doesn’t look likely, especially since it’s hard for players to visit teams as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears Clowney’s options are limited and his price may drop, but giving the former No. 1 overall pick a long-term pact never made sense.

Vernon’s contract expires at the end of this season. Why would the Browns want to dump massive amounts of money into the position for a player whose biggest isn’t rushing the passer?

At the end of last season, Vernon was slam-dunk choice for lists looking to name the players who won’t return. However, he’s surviving, and Cleveland seems willing to ride with the veteran, even at a hefty sum, considering how the front office has treated the depth chart.