3 worst Cleveland Browns contracts heading into 2022
By Greg Newland
Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns head into the 2022 offseason in decent cap shape. These three contracts could cause some issues though.
The Cleveland Browns head into the 2022 offseason with just over $23.5 million in cap space. Keep in mind that this number is before anything has been done this offseason.
The Browns have multiple starting-caliber players that are out of contract and set to be free agents. Additionally, Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward are both set to play in the fifth year of their rookie contracts.
While the jury is still out on Mayfield, there is an expectation that the Browns will do everything possible to re-sign Ward which could come at a hefty price eating up most of the free cap space now.
Andrew Berry was handed a talented roster from John Dorsey, but the cap situation certainly wasn’t “great”. Dorsey took a lot of risks and spent a ton of money in free agency which is a tough model. Just look at the New Orleans Saints who are nearly $76 million in the red before the start of the season.
For the most part, Berry has done a great job of handling contracts. The 2021 offseason was extremely strange with the salary cap going down, which meant a few contracts with different structures than you typically see.
Berry will have some wiggle room when he releases a few veterans that are currently overcompensated. Case Keenum, Jarvis Landry, and J.C. Tretter are the big names that could save the team nearly $30 million more next year.
The bottom line, there are some difficult decisions that will have to be made to get the salary cap back in check. Here are three of the worst contracts on the team now that can’t necessarily be fixed.