Browns The salary cap thread
- Thread starter OconRecon
- Start date
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
Basically, it does these things ...
1. It builds our roll over for next year -- and that's the most important reason for these deals
2. It allows for flexibility this year, in case there's like a significant injury and we need to bring a vet in (like Suh or something)
3. It only happens because Haslam is willing to spend
4. It's an attractive thing for future free agents (vs the years when we let everyone go early)
5. It's an attractive thing for current players without a long term deal. Shows them you'll get paid and get paid early sometimes.
WHY AREN’T OTHER TEAMS DOING THIS
(HT: the OBR here)
There are three factors why other teams might not be doing what the Browns and Andrew Berry are doing:
1 - They just aren’t as aggressive and smart to work this out on how you can weaponize the salary cap to give you the best possible team year in and year out.
2 - They want the ability to go all in for a two-year spell which would allow them to spend much more than the Browns in a one or two-year window before having to balance it out.
3 - Their owners just aren’t as cash-rich as the Haslams. While people might have opinions on Browns' ownership on how they have hired and been involved, one thing they haven’t been shy about is spending money at an incredible level on the 53-man roster. All teams will have cash budgets they spend each season and it is clear that the Browns have one of the most generous owners in supporting Andrew Berry’s goals.
Look at the AFCN
Bengals - poorest owner in the NFL
Ravens - complained about Watson money
Steelers - old family owned, so they don't have the Haslam energy to win now. And, they do good enough, for the Rooney's anyway.
Also, you have to believe in the players you're doing it with. Wills is really the only questionable one.
At least that's my understanding.
1. It builds our roll over for next year -- and that's the most important reason for these deals
2. It allows for flexibility this year, in case there's like a significant injury and we need to bring a vet in (like Suh or something)
3. It only happens because Haslam is willing to spend
4. It's an attractive thing for future free agents (vs the years when we let everyone go early)
5. It's an attractive thing for current players without a long term deal. Shows them you'll get paid and get paid early sometimes.
WHY AREN’T OTHER TEAMS DOING THIS
(HT: the OBR here)
There are three factors why other teams might not be doing what the Browns and Andrew Berry are doing:
1 - They just aren’t as aggressive and smart to work this out on how you can weaponize the salary cap to give you the best possible team year in and year out.
2 - They want the ability to go all in for a two-year spell which would allow them to spend much more than the Browns in a one or two-year window before having to balance it out.
3 - Their owners just aren’t as cash-rich as the Haslams. While people might have opinions on Browns' ownership on how they have hired and been involved, one thing they haven’t been shy about is spending money at an incredible level on the 53-man roster. All teams will have cash budgets they spend each season and it is clear that the Browns have one of the most generous owners in supporting Andrew Berry’s goals.
Look at the AFCN
Bengals - poorest owner in the NFL
Ravens - complained about Watson money
Steelers - old family owned, so they don't have the Haslam energy to win now. And, they do good enough, for the Rooney's anyway.
Also, you have to believe in the players you're doing it with. Wills is really the only questionable one.
At least that's my understanding.
Masters
Well-known member
To be fair, BALT complaint and the other 30 teams owners about Watson is specifically the entire deal including salary being fully guaranteed. Something the NFL owners have never wanted to do. But so far the Cousin and Watson fully guaranteed deals have not turned into a defacto standard they feared. But more players/agents are trying to get that
jaydog
Football God
Cousins isn't nearly as good as Watson and as you stated the other owners "...never wanted to do".
Then they should STFU or pay. That's business in the NFL. Ain't no friends among owners. The Haslem's learned the hard way after the NFL advised them to use that POS recruiting service years ago. I forget the name atm. And we got for shit players, FO and coaches. They learned to figure it out on their own is the best way. Not that this FO and staff is top notch but we're at least competitive at damn near every position now. "Directionally correct".
Then they should STFU or pay. That's business in the NFL. Ain't no friends among owners. The Haslem's learned the hard way after the NFL advised them to use that POS recruiting service years ago. I forget the name atm. And we got for shit players, FO and coaches. They learned to figure it out on their own is the best way. Not that this FO and staff is top notch but we're at least competitive at damn near every position now. "Directionally correct".
Masters
Well-known member
That's the thing, they don't want to pay. For many reasons. Especially with the injury probability in the NFL and how players can quickly decline. All with a hard salary cap. Players start getting guaranteed contracts, then your team gets a couple of injuries/declines and you are staring at salary cap hell for a couple of years. It's basically worse than what happens in other leagues which have guaranteed contracts.
If I think like a owner, I wouldn't want guaranteed contracts to become the norm. If I think like a player (I am usually pro player) damn skippy I want guaranteed contracts.
As for the blame the NFL for Haslem previous poor management, I just can't. I don't believe for a second he was intentionally given poor advise or referrals by the league or other owners. There is zero benefits to them by doing that. It only hurts their bottom line income. Bad teams are generally overall less profitable to league revenue. Further he made the choices to take said advise, said recommendations, and ultimately made the hires. No one made him do anything. Pretty sure he thought he knew a lot more about running a team from being a minority owner in PIT than he really did. I also think his ego got in the way many times over.
It might be coincidental, but things seemed to stabilize more once his wife was more involved (or at least publicly)
If I think like a owner, I wouldn't want guaranteed contracts to become the norm. If I think like a player (I am usually pro player) damn skippy I want guaranteed contracts.
As for the blame the NFL for Haslem previous poor management, I just can't. I don't believe for a second he was intentionally given poor advise or referrals by the league or other owners. There is zero benefits to them by doing that. It only hurts their bottom line income. Bad teams are generally overall less profitable to league revenue. Further he made the choices to take said advise, said recommendations, and ultimately made the hires. No one made him do anything. Pretty sure he thought he knew a lot more about running a team from being a minority owner in PIT than he really did. I also think his ego got in the way many times over.
It might be coincidental, but things seemed to stabilize more once his wife was more involved (or at least publicly)
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
BTW
• Cousins’ most successful season, and 1 playoff win, was with Stefanski as his OC
• Mayfield’s most successful season, and 1 playoff win, with was with Stefanski as his OC/HC
• Stefanski is Cleveland’s only coach of the year since Forrest Gregg in the 1970’s.
Having said all that, I’m still worried.
• Cousins’ most successful season, and 1 playoff win, was with Stefanski as his OC
• Mayfield’s most successful season, and 1 playoff win, with was with Stefanski as his OC/HC
• Stefanski is Cleveland’s only coach of the year since Forrest Gregg in the 1970’s.
Having said all that, I’m still worried.
Masters
Well-known member
Understandably. A counter is Mitch in CHI had his best season Nagy's first year and he was coach of the year.
But if we're honest year 1 and 3 the offense for the most part has not been the problem. At least two games can be put almost squarely on the defense (more specifically the confusion in the secondary) last year. So I believe how the defense performs this year will determine a lot of things. Changed DC, changed personnel, only changes left are in FO and HC.
But if we're honest year 1 and 3 the offense for the most part has not been the problem. At least two games can be put almost squarely on the defense (more specifically the confusion in the secondary) last year. So I believe how the defense performs this year will determine a lot of things. Changed DC, changed personnel, only changes left are in FO and HC.
Stylepoints
Memento Mori
My worries will only go away a little if Watson shows anything that resembles some consistent quality.
If he, Chubb and the pass rush start rolling we can think about winning games.
The rest are afterthoughts at this point.
"Worried".
I stopped 'worrying' about this team about 5 seasons ago.
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
and occasionally on the special teams. Missed FG's and the weird Jets game last year where we couldn't cover an on-side kick.
Masters
Well-known member
I put that Jets game on the D. Blown coverages. But point well taken on the ST
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
Teller restructures
“The Browns continue to lead the league in available salary cap and this should put them roughly at just over $35M in cap space. The purpose is to certainly roll it over to offset the expected overage in cap space next year. This should go a long way to keeping the core of this team together and expand their window at competing for a Super Bowl”
“The Browns continue to lead the league in available salary cap and this should put them roughly at just over $35M in cap space. The purpose is to certainly roll it over to offset the expected overage in cap space next year. This should go a long way to keeping the core of this team together and expand their window at competing for a Super Bowl”
OP
OP
OconRecon
If you're juiceless, you're useless
The estimates are it'll take 10-12 mil to keep Za'Darious. With the new Delpit deal, a JOK extension has been placed into a financially difficult position.
Soooo, if it comes down to JOK vs ZDS, who ya got? Assuming AB wants to get JOK inked now instead of at the end of 2024.
Edge room: Both here until January of 2026, Obo has been great, and 23 yr-old Alex Wright seems to be settling in
LB room: A-Walk's deal is only a 1-year. Takitaki is at the end of his rookie deal.
Thoughts?
Soooo, if it comes down to JOK vs ZDS, who ya got? Assuming AB wants to get JOK inked now instead of at the end of 2024.
Edge room: Both here until January of 2026, Obo has been great, and 23 yr-old Alex Wright seems to be settling in
LB room: A-Walk's deal is only a 1-year. Takitaki is at the end of his rookie deal.
Thoughts?