Browns: With salary cap going up in 2022, team should spend now

The Browns frugality has just paid off with a raised salary cap in 2022.

The Browns are one of the best financially sound teams in the league right now. The team has every position, apparently, solidified for the 2021 season and has no obvious glaring holes. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any, just that there aren’t any at the end of May. The one big constant complaint or critique is how the Browns are going to improve the team with high-priced free agents while retaining their own stars and still affording to make moves.

Well, that’s no longer a huge issue as it was announced today that the NFL cap in 2022 will be $208.2 million, up from 2021 which was $182.5 million, and still up from 2019, which was $198 million. Being up over $25.7 million for 2022 is a boon. Especially since the Browns are, at this juncture, already $21.07 million under the cap.

That means if the Browns retain everyone from this year, they’ll have well over $45 million in free cap space for 2022. That’s more than enough alone to bring back Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Wyatt Teller to new deals. It’s also enough to presumably allow the Browns to re-negotiate with Jack Conklin, who’s eligible for free agency in 2023.

The Browns should spend now.

This is a prime opportunity to go out and get a few guys on one-year contracts and go chase down a ring. The Browns could easily find themselves in a situation wherein 2022 a few big contracts come off the books. Chris Hubbard, David Njoku, maybe one of the high-priced receivers; Cleveland could be looking at a vastly different, younger, faster roster while also having close to $100 million in money to spend if they make some choices with certain roster members.

With the potential of such a drastic roster being possible, why not load up this current version and go for it in 2021? Go sign Richard Sherman and Everson Griffen, really fortify that defense because it’s entirely possible that the Browns will look very different in 2022 if the front office continues to distance themselves from high-priced players who aren’t living up to their figures.

Even if they have to get someone on a two-year deal, there’s money now that allows them to do so. After all, it’s not like the Browns are going to bring every member of the 2021 roster back for 2022. Some guys are going to leave and others will be traded or let go. So there’s going to be extra finances.

Make a move now, just avoid anything too big and too long of a commitment. A Julio Jones deal may be too big to add unless you do a swap. Even though, who knows if that’s a salary you want in 2023.