The Browns may not be offering a contract extension to Ronnie Harrison.
The Browns made big news in free agency, luring John Johnson out La-La Land to THE Land. It cost Cleveland a lot of money to do it, to the tune of three years and $33 million.
The pact guarantees Johnson $24 million. He’ll earn $11 million per season, which is a 26 percent increase from what Sprotrac was project Johnson would sign for ($8.3 million).
The signing has its share of impacts on the Browns, but perhaps most noteworthy, in terms of roster building, is that a contract extension may not be coming for current safety Ronnie Harrison.
With $25 million in cap space, the Browns made a big dent in their piggy bank by signing Johnson. Assuming they’ll make another move that won’t be as big, precious cap space will shrink even more.
Jackson noted how the signing of Johnson’s impact on the cap probably means Harrison won’t see a contract extension this season.
"“This move almost assures that the Browns won’t extend Harrison this offseason and will let him play out the final year of his rookie deal,” Jackson wrote."
Harrison was acquired from the Jaguars during training camp last season, and while it took him a little while to hit the field as a regular, he became a fan favorite, particularly following a pick-6 in an important victory over the Colts.
No extension doesn’t mean Harrison is gone for good, as ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi wrote his long-term future in Cleveland will determined during the season .
I don’t see how the Browns let him go, but it’s worth pointing out that Baker Mayfield will likely have signed his extension by then, and Denzel Ward’s has to be in the pipeline, also. Then, there’s Nick Chubb. If the Browns let him walk, they might have a revolt on their hands.
Harrison finished the 2020 campaign with the Browns second-highest grade from Pro Football Focus, with a mark of 76.6. He led the team in tackling efficiency last season, which ranked 36th overall, according to PFF.
Hopefully Harrison stays because so far, he’s been a steal the Browns picked up from Jacksonville for a fifth-round pick. Definitely a storyline to watch moving forward.