Browns Sign Jerry Jeudy to Shocking Extension
On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns shockingly announced that they signed WR Jerry Jeudy to a massive three-year, $58 million extension.
Before Jerry Jeudy has even played a snap for the franchise, the Cleveland Browns have already decided to reward their newest wide receiver with a shocking contract extension.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reports that the Browns have signed Jeudy to a three-year, $58 million extension (average of $19.3 million per season). The 24-year-old wideout, who was acquired from the Denver Broncos for a couple of draft picks last week, will see $41 million of that sum as guaranteed money.
The #Browns and WR @jerryjeudy have agreed to a three-year contract extension worth up to $58 million, including $41 million fully guaranteed at signing, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2024
The deal was negotiated by @equitysports CEO @chriscabott. pic.twitter.com/ozzyd4Qps8
Browns News: Cleveland Extends WR Jerry Jeudy
If you're absolutely shocked by the extension news, you likely aren't the only one. Part of the reason why Jeudy was sent to Cleveland is because he needed a change in scenery.
The ex-Alabama playmaker has struggled to live up to the expectations that came when he was selected 15th overall by the Broncos in 2020. He showed glimpses of his potential when he tallied 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 but fell back to earth with an underwhelming 54-758-2 stat line last year.
Paying players for what they could do rather than what they've done carries the risk of backfiring. Even if he's looked good now and then, Jeudy is far from a guaranteed commodity. He's only averaging 763 receiving yards per season and has a history of having less-than-secure hands, highlighted by 18 career drops and 12 passes that became interceptions when thrown his way.
It also doesn't help that the Browns are already in cap hell due to Deshaun Watson's monster contract. Without counting Jeudy's extension, Spotract projects Cleveland to be more than $47.5 million over the 2025 salary cap. That'll be a tougher pill to swallow if the fifth-year WR fails to reach the 1,000-yard mark again.
Paying Jeudy nearly $20 million annually looks even worse when you compare him to Amari Cooper, who carries a $23.7 million cap hit in 2024. For reference, Cooper had 492 more receiving yards and three more TDs than Jeudy on only 18 more receptions last season.
Hopefully, Jeudy can finally live up to his potential (and new extension) by helping Cleveland win the first championship in franchise history next season. Oddsmakers see the Browns having an uphill battle, though, with FanDuel Sportsbook currently having them tied for the 15th-best Super Bowl LIX odds.
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