The Cleveland Browns are going to be in salary cap hell next year as things stand.
The Cleveland Browns and its fans may be happy with all of these extensions but there’s a price to spending all that money. This isn’t baseball, and no matter what some of the less informed want to believe, the salary cap is in fact real. You can renegotiate deals all day until you’re blue in the face, but once a contract is signed, a player has to agree to whatever new deal you offer.
That’s not a guarantee, and as it stands, the Browns are looking like they’re going to be $7 million over the cap next year. That’s factoring in all the extensions and the expiring contracts. It’s not factoring guys they’ll want to re-sign or free agents they may pursue.
It’s also not factoring in that two key players, Nick Chubb and Myles Garrett, are heading into opt-out years. Usually, teams like to get new deals done around that time, and who’s to say that either player will want to re-work their contract. This is a business, after all, as so many want to keep saying.
Why would Chubb agree to differ money if the deal is beneficial to him? The Browns have already cut guys like Jarvis Landry and JC Tretter because they (presumably) didn’t want to restructure their deals.
With guys like Jedrick Wills, Greedy Williams, Harrison Bryant, and Donovan Peoples-Jones having expiring contracts within the next few seasons, the Browns are going to have to find the money somewhere. They only have so much, and not everyone is going to be ok getting that money deferred or in one lump sum, which will only cost more in taxes.
So to clear space, guys with big contracts will be cut or won’t be re-signed and we narrowed down the six most likely candidates to be gone after this year.
Jack Conklin
It seems all but a certainty that Jack Conklin is gone after this year. It’d be great to keep him, he’s the best lineman on the team, and makes the running game go. We saw what not having him on the field did to the team. The pass blocking went to hell in a handbasket, and the running game lost some of its pop.
Conklin is clearly a vital piece but he’s making $11 million this year and is only 28. That means he’s going to look for one last big paycheck while he’s still in his prime. If he plays well enough, he’ll likely be up for another All-NFL spot, and maybe even a Pro Bowl spot too. That means he’ll likely command even more than what he’s already making.
Would the Browns want to ring him back at $12-$14 million per year for another three years? With no changes to the roster, that’s about $35 million for Conklin, Wyatt Teller, and Joel Bitonio. Would the Browns be willing to invest that much cash into three players on the offensive line? Especially with two of them being near or over 30 years old.
It’s a large pill to swallow, but if the Browns decide to go young at tackle in the draft, then it may be a sign that they intend on moving on from Conklin. Though nothing is set in stone.
Kareem Hunt
Like with Jack Conklin, this is less of a “cut or trade” situation, as Kareem Hunt is also a free agent. He’ll be 28 and seeing as through three years with the Browns, he’s little been more than a backup, the odds of paying him another $6 million for 50 yards per game just doesn’t seem like a prudent decision.
Not to mention, the injuries are starting to play a factor. He missed nine games in 2022 and as running backs age, they generally miss more and more time. That’s why many believe that 30 is the age most running backs hit the wall, and while not everyone is the same, there is some truth to that expectation.
We’ve already seen D’Ernest Johnson put together a season that is on par with what we can expect out of Hunt and we keep waiting for this “duel-threat” player to step up. Yet, he’s only averaging 20 yards per game receiving the ball. Those are numbers Nick Chubb can put up if given a shot.
Hunt is all potential and expectation but so far he hasn’t lived up to the hype of being one of the best running backs in the league. He hasn’t been bad, but as mentioned, Johnson was more efficient and effective than Hunt in 2021 and did so making $5 million less.
They might be a wash with regards to talent, but this isn’t about who is more popular or who’s slightly more talented than the other. They’re very equal talent-wise but one is far less expensive. That’s all you need to decide to move on from him.
John Johnson III
A post-June 1, 2023 cut is so likely for John Johnson III. He was awful in 2021, at least for what he was paid to do. The Browns don’t have much in the way of safety depth, having gotten so bad that the team re-signed Ronnie Harrison, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they took one or two in the NFL Draft this year.
I could also see Tony Fields at safety at some point. That’s how bad it is right now and why we aren’t talking about it more often is interesting. Maybe Troy Hill could play safety, he’s a hell of a tackler, could work.
To be frank, Andrew Sendejo had a fairly similar year to Johnson in 2021, and if that’s what you’re getting for nearly $8 million this year (and $13.5 million next), you better believe that someone like Johnson is on the chopping block to make cap space. They’ll save over $9 million in 2023 if they cut him and that may be the biggest selling point for the Browns, beyond his shotty play.
Johnson could still have a turnaround season in 2022 but that just makes cutting him all the harder. We already know they have no patience for underachieving free agents, so there’s no reason to doubt that Johnson could be an option.
Joel Bitonio
To be fair, Joel Bitonio may be a cap casualty after 2023, as that’s when his opt-out is, but the Browns may very well cut him in the offseason for all we know. After all, the Browns no longer seem bound by Andrew Berry’s vision. The team is overpaying for guys, and no longer going after the “accountable” types that Berry praised so much.
And if we know one thing, Berry isn’t exactly a savant at finding castoff gems. So unless he gets some cheap free agents or hits on some later draft picks, the team is going to have to make some really tough choices.
Bitonio carries with him a huge cap-hit both on and off the team. He’s gonna go from $6 million (all in total) in 2022 to $14.6 in 2023. While cutting him doesn’t make sense (neither did cutting Austin Hooper, financially speaking), the Browns could trade him after June 1 and save $8 million against the cap in 2023.
He’s 31 and plays a demanding position and we already know that the Browns aren’t worried about things like loyalty. They’ll 86 Bitonio if it helps clear space. Why wouldn’t they? No one is truly safe on this team, and The Haslams and Berry proved this year.
David Njoku
The Browns just brought back David Njoku for what will be his sixth season with the franchise. He survived being injured, in a coach’s dog house, inconsistent play on the field, and a trade demand. Yet, he remains. So why would next year be the most obvious time to move on from him?
Simple, he’s making $10 million this year, and will likely only want a pay raise, and as previously mentioned, the Browns will be $7 million over the cap next year, and that’s if the team refuses to re-sign any players on expiring deals or new free agents.
The odds that the Browns can keep Njoku next year aren’t great, and that’s even if the Browns want to keep him. After all, Njoku has been pretty inconsistent in his career with the Browns. He’s only caught more than 500 yards once in his career, and last we checked, the Browns still intend on running three tight ends in 2022.
Three tight ends, that means only one-third of the opportunities for guys. Njoku isn’t worth $10 million as a part-time player, and the fact that the Browns gave him that much in 2022 was shocking.
If he has a big year, the Browns may prioritize re-signing him but that just means someone else has to go, further complicating the cycle.
Troy Hill
Troy Hill is arguably the best run stopper in the secondary, safeties included. He’s a valuable asset and one that can make a defense far more competent than they actually might be. He’s also a really good pass rusher, shockingly enough. Yet, the Youngstown native may be nearing the end of his brief Browns tenure.
He’s 30, and the Browns just sank a lot of money into Denzel Ward. Next up is Greedy Williams, who’s in the last year of his contract. As Williams is a former second-round pick, there is no fifth-year option for the Browns to pick up.
That means Williams is a free agent. Hill may not be making a boatload, just $3 million over the next few years, but the Browns are very likely to pursue every avenue they possibly can to alleviate the cap pressure that’s building.
If they cut him or trade him after June 1, 2023, the Browns will save just shy of $1.5 million over the following two seasons. Not a lot of money but considering the cash thrown around, and that has still yet to be thrown around, it’s very likely the Browns would consider cutting him just to save $3 million.
Hill was good for Cleveland in 2021, so we’ll have to see how that unfolds.