The 2025 off-season has become one of the most important in recent memory for the Cleveland Browns after a forgettable 2024 campaign. The team is finally back in the first round of the NFL draft with a top-10 pick and is in the market for a new starting quarterback.
Teams in that situation either have bad, relatively cheap rosters that aren't ready to win now, or suffered major injuries to key players.
The Browns absorbed a major injury to Deshaun Watson, however, the team is in a tough spot with an expensive roster that was allegedly ready to return to the playoffs. Hard decisions will need to be made as Cleveland is $16.4 million over the 2025 salary cap and has $92 million guaranteed to a lame-duck quarterback.
Let's look at some players who could be cap casualties. Remember, these are possibilities, not certainties.
Ethan Pocic
Pocic has been one of the more reliable players for the Browns since signing as a free agent in 2022. He took over at center when Nick Harris was injured in the preseason that year and the Browns confidently gave him a three-year contract heading into 2023.
Read more: Lessons Learned: What the Browns Can Take Away from a Lost Season
The team saves $1.6 million against the 2025 salary cap if Pocic is cut with a pre-June-1 designation and $6 million if designated as a post-June-1. Unfortunately, this is one of the easier decisions the Browns should make this coming off-season.
Shelby Harris
The veteran defensive lineman re-signed with the Browns heading into 2024 and was given a two-year, $9 million dollar deal. His performance has been adequate this season but he's not part of Cleveland's long-term plans, so making him a cap casualty is another easier decision.
A pre-June-1 cut saves the Browns $644K, and a post-June-1 cut saves them $2.3 million. Either designation is not a large amount of savings but would help the Browns slip under the 2025 salary cap.
Jack Conklin
Conklin has had an up and down Browns career suffering multiple season-ending injuries, but when healthy he's still been one of the team's better offensive linemen. He even signed a team-friendly deal in 2022 that he most likely won't see the end of as a pre-June-1 cut saves just under $5 million and a post-June-1 cut would save $15 million.
Holding onto the extra $10 million would make it harder for the Browns to sign expensive free agents, but either way Jack Conklin will probably not be a Brown for the 2025 season.
Joel Bitonio
Bitonio has been the stalwart of the Cleveland offensive line since Joe Thomas retired, but there's been a clear dip in performance in 2024. This would be a gut-shot to Browns fans everywhere to release Bitonio but the numbers could make this a necessary move as a post-June-1 cut gives the Browns $8.3 million in cap savings.
This move may not happen given the importance of the player and that cutting Bitonio before June 1st cost the Browns $203K. However, Browns fans shouldn't be surprised if there's a shocking release along the offensive line this off season.