Browns Win Big With Salary Cap Increase

Cleveland was in a position where tough decisions were going to be absolutely necessary. Whether that was with Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper, or any other high-priced player that could help free up cap room. But now, being just under $8 million over, maneuverability just became a lot easier for the Browns.

This is not to say the Browns are in one of the best spots cap-wise right now (they aren’t). Quarterback Deshaun Watson is currently accounting for a quarter of the league’s new cap number with his nearly $64 million cap hit this season, and that is a hard number to work with, no matter the position. It is more about seeing a path to keeping as many key components on their roster while still having an avenue to improve. They didn’t before the cap increase, but they do now.

In the meantime, expect some contract restructures that tack on void years on the tail end of the deal. This will free up some cap space now and hopefully get the Browns back into having positive space rather than negative. There are still other decisions for the organization to make, including but not limited to the tackle position. Sorting through these contractural and positional issues should lead to the Browns operating in a manner that sees them adding players in an attempt to compete rather than subtracting for the sake of getting under the cap. The Browns’ contention window is right now, and they must do everything they can to avoid letting this incredibly rare opportunity escape from their grasp.