Browns receive significant salary cap assistance without taking any action.
The previously dire forecasts surrounding the Cleveland Browns’ salary cap situation now appear much less daunting in light of recent developments. The NFL’s announcement of the 2024 salary cap on Friday exceeded expectations, coming in significantly higher than anticipated.
While initial estimates placed the cap around $242 million for the season, it ultimately reached $255.4 million. This means that instead of facing a daunting shortfall of over $19 million, the Browns now find themselves just $6.2 million over the limit.
Consequently, concerns about the potential release of Nick Chubb due to cap constraints no longer carry weight. There remains ample opportunity for Cleveland to extend Chubb’s contract and mitigate his cap impact by spreading it out over time, thus aiding in cap compliance.
With this newfound flexibility, the Browns can explore various avenues to free up additional cap space, including restructuring contracts for players like Deshaun Watson, Amari Cooper, and Denzel Ward, among others. According to OverTheCap.com, restructuring just these three contracts could yield approximately $56.6 million in cap relief, positioning the Browns comfortably under the cap by $50 million.
This surplus cap space enables Cleveland to adopt a more aggressive approach in the offseason. They could pursue trade targets such as Garrett Bolles or Courtland Sutton to bolster their offense, or potentially retain impending free agent Za’Darius Smith or secure a suitable replacement.
Overall, the increased salary cap announcement provides the Browns with significant flexibility and options moving forward. With a more favorable financial landscape, concerns about roster composition, including the status of David Njoku, may now be alleviated.
