More Money More Problems For The Cleveland Browns
Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
On the outside looking in, it’s a ton of fun for fans to watch Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry completely manipulate the salary cap. Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslem have continued to be willing to outspend the league with incentive-based contracts and roster bonuses, which has loaded up this Browns roster with as much talent as ever.
Even though there hasn’t been a ton of playoff success because of injuries and bad luck, no one can take for granted what it’s like to have Deshaun Watson, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and David Njoku all locked up long-term in the prime of their careers.
There is plenty of other talent on this roster as well with players like Za’Darius Smith, Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, Dalvin Tomlinson, and many others. With this many skilled players and the two-time Coach of the Year in Kevin Stefanski, there is no doubt that 2024 is a make-or-break year for this team.
But as we enter only the second week of OTA’s (organized team activities), we are starting to see that the more money you have on the roster, the more problems that can arise.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway in the second week of OTAs is the absence of Cooper. The 10-year pro has been the definition of consistency and has had over 1,150 yards per year in his first two seasons with the Browns. That not only gives him a reasonable case for a raise, but a ton of leverage.
Cooper was dumped by the Cowboys for next to nothing in the 2022 offseason when they couldn’t afford his cap hit. Now with all the new wide receiver money hitting the market, Cooper is looking for an extension. Currently, Cooper is in the final year of his contract with the Browns and has a massive $23.7 cap hit. An extension makes a ton of sense with a hit like that, but at age 30, Berry must be careful with how many years he gives to Cooper. While he has been the definition of consistent for the Browns over the last two seasons, he’s simply not in the same class as a guy like Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, or even A.J. Brown.
Still, to this point, Cooper has been a great teammate and comes off as a silent leader like Nick Chubb. Berry probably wants to get an extension done, but has to be careful not to overpay. Remember, the Cleveland Browns have still managed to keep $13 million of cap space for this year, even with all the large contracts, meaning they aren’t in a position to need to release him.
Where Cooper does have all the leverage is in production, especially compared to anyone else in-house. Of this depth chart that currently consists of Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman, Cooper is the only one who has come close to proving himself as a high-end option for more than just a game or two.
As good as the Jeudy trade was on paper, the three-year extension that Berry gave him turned the deal sour quickly. Jeudy has a similar style to Cooper as an elite route runner, but has only had one season even close to 1,000 yards. Hopefully, Jeudy can be a good fit, but the $52.5 million deal is puzzling, as it’s crystal clear that he can’t take over as the No. 1 receiver on this roster.
It doesn’t get much better with the third and fourth options, either. Moore was a high draft pick by the New York Jets who felt like needed a fresh start. The Browns had to give up a second-round pick in order to acquire two years of service for him, and to this point, no one could argue that has worked out. Moore has struggled to get separation in man-to-man coverage and Deshaun Watson has clearly favored targeting Cooper and Njoku in third-down situations.
Tillman was a reach pick by Berry last year. The guy Cleveland likely targeted (Jaylin Hyatt) went the pick before the Browns were on the draft, and it looks like they panicked and took the next receiver on his board, despite Tillman having a history of injuries.
With all these big contracts and big-name players, it feels like holdouts are going to come early and often for this team. If it’s Cooper this year, it could be Ward or Garrett next year, and perhaps further out we will hear about Njoku and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah wanting new deals.
In this situation, it feels like Cooper has all the leverage in the world. Early in free agency, there was the potential for Berry to make a splash at wide receiver which could have meant Cooper’s days with the Browns were numbered. Instead, the trade for Jeudy only solidified Cooper’s spot as the No. 1 option and his negotiation position. Berry and Cooper could easily get a deal done quickly this offseason to save some drama, but this won’t be the last time this happens in Cleveland. Having more big-money players increases the risk that more problems concerning contracts will rear their heads each and every offseason.
Up Next