The Cleveland Browns may need to get desperate to keep the team under the salary cap.
The Cleveland Browns are not looking great financially. The team has been pushing owed money year after year, and 2023 is the year so many of those debts come to fruition. Austin Hooper’s contract is still on the books, Deshaun Watson is carrying a nearly $55 million cap hit on his own, while Myles Garrett has a nearly $30 million cap hit, and Amari Cooper is at $23 million.
That’s over $107 million just between those three alone. Spotrac has the cap at about $252 million for 2023. As of this point, if the Browns keep their contracts as they are, they’ll be nearly over the cap by nearly $13 million. That’s the estimate they have. Over The Cap has an even bleaker look for the club, with them at $14 million over the cap.
Next year isn’t looking any better, with Over The Cap having the Browns at $9 million over the cap with only the contracts that are active for 2024. Half of the team is coming off the books between now and 2024. That means most of the money owed is due to just a few guys.
While some want to mistakenly claim “the salary cap isn’t real”, it’s very real and it always comes to collect. The Browns can’t keep delaying owed money by restructuring deals. Contrary to the concept, that money doesn’t disappear once the deal is re-done, it’s simply moved to a later date.
That money will count against the cap eventually. Part of the reason the Browns are in this hole, to begin with, is because of contract restructuring, and it’s only going to get worse. Cooper is already on the books for 2025, and he’s not even under contract for that season. Yes, you can further restructure his deal to delay payments but it’s only going to hurt the team more later on.
So just looking towards Watson, Garrett, and Cooper to delay some money now isn’t a long-term fix, it’s still just causing the same problem but for someone else to clean up. No, restructuring isn’t the key, for the Browns to get out of the cap hell they’re in, they need to make major changes.
Cutting or trading guys will still give the Browns dead cap money they have to pay, but they can get out from under most of the money on a few key guys. These guys, however, are very vital. So trading or cutting them isn’t going to be popular, but it may be necessary.
And no, cutting or trading Watson isn’t a realistic option for any other reason than the disgraced ex-Pro Bowler’s contract would literally put the team over the cap if they try moving it.
David Njoku
David Njoku was a bad investment. He dropped so many passes and disappeared for huge chunks of the game. He had his lowest yards per reception of his career, despite having the second-most targets for his career. He’s not a bad player, but he’s not one who is worth his contract. If the Browns want to save some money, they can do so by trading Njoku after June 1.
Anytime before, and his cap hit wouldn’t be worth moving on from him. The team can free up $6.1 million this year, and will only have to worry about a $2.2 million cap hit this year. Next year, however, that number jumps to a $6.1 cap hit.
Ideally, you’d like to not have to pay much if anything to get out of these contracts but that’s not the case with the Browns are in. Njoku will likely not be on this team after 2024 regardless, as the squad can cut or trade him after June 1, 2024, and save $16 million.
So either way, Njoku is likely a Browns player for the very last year in 2023, one way or another.
Joel Bitonio
It’s sad to put Joel Bitonio on this list because not only is he arguably the best lineman on the team, he’s right there with Joe Thomas as a future Hall of Famer, and an icon on this team. Yet, like with everyone else on this list, the salary cap doesn’t care how popular you are. It will come for you too.
The Browns can’t keep differing owed money, and to get under the salary cap by enough, the team will have to cut at least two big-ticket players. Bitonio is the wrong age (32), plays the wrong position (line), and is paid too much ($14 million cap hit) to not be the perfect candidate to be traded
If the Browns can find a trade partner for Bitonio, they can save $11 million this year, and only have to carry a $3.6 cap hit for 2023. They will have to pay him $8.7 for 2024, however. Just like with Njoku, Bitonio is likely done in Cleveland after 2023 regardless. They can cut him in 2024 and save $4 million, and if he somehow survives that, he’ll likely be cut in 2025, as the team can save $15 million.
Now, Bitonio may be the least likely of the three to be traded, only because you can save more money by waiting to release, but he could still be dealt.
Nick Chubb
This may seem like sacrilege to even consider moving on from Nick Chubb but believe it. It may hurt the most but the Browns can save $10.85 million by trading him this year and will only have to carry $4 million in 2023 and 2024 as a cap hit. To further put the fear of God into fans, the Browns can even cut Chubb and still save $8 million this year.
If you think Chubb is safe because of how good he is, think again. He’s going to turn 28 this year, he’s been given the ball quite a bit, and much like Joel Bitonio and David Njoku, 2023 may be his last year in the city regardless. The team will likely have to find a way to clear cap space in 2024, as they’re already $9 million in the hole for the year.
Cutting or trading Chubb in 2024 saves the team $12 million. It may not be a fun prospect, or a desired one, I certainly don’t like it, but this is what happens when you give Deshaun Watson the most undeserved contract in league history.
Others have to suffer so the rich can get paid.
The team will likely continue to play the “restructuring game” until that money is owed, so it’s unlikely Chubb, or anyone else on this list for that matter, gets moved this offseason but the prospect is very real.
If deals can’t be restructured, then expect something massive to happen.