9 players count for over $18 million dead cap space for Browns
The Cleveland Browns salary cap will be discussed significantly over the next few years. For fans, the team having highly paid players at multiple positions is unique. Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Nick Chubb, Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and David Njoku have signed long-term deals after being drafted and/or developed by the team.
In the past, fans have only looked forward to Joe Thomas, Joe Haden or free agents from other teams making big money in Cleveland. In 2022, and beyond, the Browns are full of well-paid talent.
With that comes a limit with the salary cap. While many will say ‘the salary cap is fake’ because it can be manipulated, the salary cap is a reality that, at times, can cause the middle of the roster to move on to other teams leaving some highly paid players and players on rookie contracts to make up most of the roster.
Going into 2022, almost $19 million of the team’s salary cap space is taken up with dead money paid out to nine players. Of those nine players, two are still on the team’s roster, two were traded and the other five were released:
TE Austin Hooper - $3.75 million
(AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Perhaps Andrew Berry’s worst decision so far, Hooper flopped as a top-level free agent addition and was released this offseason. His $3.75 million cap hit is the 15th highest on this year’s Browns roster.
His dead cap jumps to $7.5 million in 2023.
DE Jadeveon Clowney - $3.6 million
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
One of the recent salary cap techniques used recently is void years. The void years allow teams to spread out salary cap hits. Clowney returned on another one-year contract for 2022 that also includes another 4 void years.
His 2021 contract had a similar structure which, when he didn’t sign an extension before the new league year, voided creating the $3.6 million in dead cap for 2022 despite him being back on the team.
Combined, his two cap hits are around $7 million for 2022 but is set to be over $6 million in dead cap hit in 2023.
CB Troy Hill - $2.6 million
(AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Another free agent addition that didn’t pan out, Berry traded Hill back to Los Angeles during the NFL draft. Cleveland still has $2.6 million on their cap for Hill in 2022.
QB Case Keenum - $2.3 million
The other traded player, Cleveland moved Keenum to Buffalo this offseason and replaced him with Jacoby Brissett for the 2022 season. Keenum played well at times for the Browns but was limited.
DT Malik Jackson - $1.9 million
[Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]
Cleveland used the void years to add veteran Malik Jackson as well. Jackson was a stopgap measure who showed his age throughout the season. Due to the void years, Jackson (who is still a free agent) will cost almost $2 million against the salary cap and the Browns defensive tackle room is still full of questions.
OL J.C. Tretter - $1.6 million
The NFLPA President is still a free agent but the Browns will be moving forward with Nick Harris as their center. Tretter played well in Cleveland and played despite a lot of injury issues.
The dead cap on his extension is just a little under $2 million.
WR Jarvis Landry - $1.5 million
(AP Photo/Kirk Irwin)
Jarvis Landry was the heart and soul of the Cleveland revival since coming over in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. While there were some reports that he could return after being released, Landry instead signed for an incentive-laden contract with his home state New Orleans Saints.
Landry’s release saved the team significant cap space but still costs $1.5 million against the salary cap.
LB Anthony Walker Jr. - $1.2 million
The other player still on the roster for 2022 is Walker. Like Clowney, Walker signed a one-year deal with the team in 2021 and again in 2022. Like Clowney, Walker’s new deal also had void years which will create over $2 million in dead hit in 2023.
S Sheldrick Redwine - $180K
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The least of the dead cap hit, some fans may not remember much about Redwine’s time with the team. Since being released, the former Miami University product signed with three teams and is set to start training camp with the Miami Dolphins. The minimal dead cap space comes from his rookie contract with the Browns after being a fourth-round pick.
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