The Cleveland Browns re-working Olivier Vernon’s contract is smart

The Cleveland Browns re-working Olivier Vernon’s deal opens up opportunities with no risk.

One of the ideas that fans have been throwing around was keeping Olivier Vernon regardless of the Cleveland Browns and their pursuit of another defensive end. Which frankly everyone liked the idea of, just questioned the possibility that it could be done financially speaking. The Browns have made it a reality, however. The team re-worked Vernon’s deal.

Originally scheduled to make $15.25 million in non guaranteed money, the team reworked the deal and he’ll now make $11 million in guaranteed money, with $4 million coming in a  signing bonus, and $6.75 million in salary.

The team still has more than enough money to go after a Jadeveon Clowney-type free agent, as the money from Vernon’s deal comes off the books next year. The team will more than likely let Vernon walk after 2020 regardless of his production, and the team ensured that by promising not to franchise tag him after the season ends.

The deal is smart, as Vernon has some productivity still in him, and is versatile enough to play standing up or in a three-point stance. That type of versatility could see him as a standing linebacker in 4-3 sets, or as down linemen in nickel packages. His versatility makes him extremely useful due to the depth issues on defense.

While some suspect this puts an end to chasing after Clowney, there’s always the chance they keep going for him. After all, they have Vernon on a one-year deal. Who’s to say they don’t bundle an offer to Clowney that pays him more in year-two than in year-one?

Though, they might be right about the Clowney situation. The Browns making this move feels more like a “Plan-C” type of situation. If the idea all along was to keep Vernon on the team alongside Clowney/Everson Griffen/etc, then why not make the deal sooner? So it’s entirely possible this means that Clowney is no longer in the plans.

He might still be, however. Only time will tell.