The Cleveland Browns cap space dilemma will need to come to a head in 2025. This offseason is going to be hugely important not just to their success this coming season, but to how they survive after the Deshaun Watson trade and cap nightmare associated with that are officially over.
That means Cleveland needs to get funky with their offseason decision making in order to make a winning team while also saving money. It's possible - they have some decent free agent quarterbacks to choose from who'd be on the hook for money from their old teams and not from the Browns, and Cleveland has a ton of draft capital at their disposal.
So, what are a few offseason decisions the Browns can make in order to set themselves up for a successful 2025?
3 bold offseason predictions for the Browns
Browns will sign D.J. Reed in free agency
Cleveland needed a lot more help for Denzel Ward in the secondary this season. Between some lackluster performances from MJ Emerson and Juan Thornhill, and continued injuries plaguing Greg Newsome II, there were no other consistent defenders in the secondary aside from Ward.
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Enter Reed. He's been a quintessential part of the NY Jets' defense for years, but he's now a free agent. It's unclear whether the Jets are willing to throw a bag at one of their best defenders, but if they're not, Cleveland could likely maneuver some cap space to sign Reed and bring him into the fold, which immediately makes their defense formidable again.
Cleveland will sign Nick Chubb to an extremely team-friendly deal
Nick Chubb is likely not going to get a ton of interest from teams in need of a running back. Unfortunately, that's just the landscape for running backs in general - once you reach a certain age or you hit a certain number of injuries, teams are a lot more wary of signing you to big deals. Only running backs like Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry get a big piece of the pie.
So, for Chubb, we should expect a deal that both signs him long term to the team he wants to stay with for the rest of his career and gives Cleveland the flexibility to make other important signings in the offseason. Look for a deal in the range of a one year "prove it" contract filled with incentives, or a long term deal that is well below the $12 million a year he was previously earning.
The Browns will use their No. 2 overall pick as leverage, not as an actual pick
There have been several reports suggesting that, despite such a weak quarterback class, the Browns will still be taking a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, the Browns shouldn't be a lock to use their number two overall pick on a quarterback.
It makes no sense for Cleveland to take a QB they're not totally convinced can be a starter on day one - especially when they still don't have a clear idea of what their offensive line or running back room will look like in 2025. Trading down and selecting the best available offensive lineman, running back, or defensive lineman makes the most sense for a Browns team that isn't heading into 2025 with high expectations.
Look to them to deal this pick with a team desperate for one of Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders - specifically, I think I hear the NY Giants' music when thinking of any pick swaps ahead of the draft.