Texans Holding Up Perrion Winfrey Contract?

One of the underrated Browns storylines so far this summer has nothing to do with the quarterback position.

In fact, it has nothing to do with the offensive side of the ball.

No, this underrated storyline has to do with Perrion Winfrey.

We’ve heard nothing but promising things about the fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma.

And it’s not like there’s been any fallout in the media between Winfrey and the Browns.

Why is Winfrey still unsigned?

Potential Causes

According to SB Nation’s Thomas Moore, a potential source of Winfrey’s contract issue might be 1300 miles south, in Houston, Texas.

Earlier in the offseason, the Texans gave running back and 2022 fourth-round pick Dameon Pierce a $4.5 million deal.

But, Texans general manager Nick Caserio threw in a little side cash in the form of a $25,000 workout bonus.

Caserio likely did this to skirt the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, which specifically lays out how much a rookie can earn based on their draft selection slot.

How does this affect Winfrey?

Moore explained:

“Pierce was selected one pick before Winfrey, so the Texans may have ruffled some feathers with the contract they handed to Pierce. But looking at Over The Cap’s rookie pool estimate, Winfrey’s projected contract is a four-year deal worth an estimated $4.6 million and a signing bonus of $956,856.

It seems that the extra $25,000 the Texans slipped into Pierce’s pocket may be holding up a few other contracts, Winfrey’s included. Other than that, it is hard to pinpoint one area that would be a sticking point between the two sides.”

If the Browns are squabbling with Winfrey over $25,000, then this deal should get done soon.