3 worst Cleveland Browns contracts heading into 2022
By Greg Newland
Worst Browns Contract No. 3 – Jadeveon Clowney
Jadeveon Clowney being on this list is no indication of his performance. His one-year, $8 million deal was well worth it. Clowney was a tremendous addition to this roster and really caused a lot of havoc for opposing quarterbacks.
The issue with the Clowney contract is its structure. While Clowney was only contracted to play one season, the are four voided years that payout over $4 million with the chunk of that money in 2022 ($3.6 million).
I get it, the salary cap went down in 2021 for the first time in what felt like forever, so general managers had to get creative. At the moment it seemed like a great deal, but when you get into the weeds it’s a bit of a problem.
The bigger issue, the Cleveland Browns are likely extremely interested in bringing Clowney back. So, whatever they sign him for, you must include another $3.6 million on top of that. There are already beliefs that he may see a $20 million per year offer, so he may become extremely expensive to retain.
The question becomes. Do you want to let him walk completely if he’s already on the payroll? Or, is it impossible to justify a huge payday on a new contract and the remaining money from the old one? Berry certainly has a lot to think about with this one.