Jakeem Grant is the first Cleveland Browns player to renegotiate his deal

The Cleveland Browns have renegotiated Jakeem Grant’s contract with the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have started their offseason of contract reworks. The team is over the salary cap by a significant margin, and by NFL rules, they have to get under the cap in order to be able to play in 2023. No NFL team can enter the regular season over the cap.

For the Browns to get under the cap, and simultaneously improve their roster, they’re going to have to figure out a way to shave some money off. One way is to trade or cut guys outright, another way is to restructure contracts and defer cap hits to later seasons.

The Browns have opted to go with the third option, at least with former Pro Bowl returner Jakeem Grant, who signed with the Browns in 2022 but missed the entire year due to an injury. His cap hit was going to be around $3.5 for the season, but reports say that the new deal will see the Browns shave off $1.765 million this season. That money will still be owed, likely after Grant leaves the team, however.

The Cleveland Browns are not done with the moves

Grant will not be the only player getting their deals reworked, the team’s ill-performing quarterback will likely defer money as well. That’ll help currently, but that money, like Grant’s, will be due eventually. That money doesn’t just disappear. So for those who say “the cap isn’t real”, just remember what’s happening in New Orleans. They’re going to have to gut their entire team at this rate, just to get under the cap.

The Browns are also rumored to be cutting the underperforming John Johnson III after June 1. In doing so, the Browns can save over $9 million. However, the team will also be impacted next season to the tune of $8 million should that happen. So yes, they’ll save $9 million this year, butt they’ll be on the hook for another $8 million next year. Plus you have to then replace him.

Cutting Johnson just doesn’t make sense.