The Cleveland Browns entered the offseason with several issues to address. However, none of those were as pressing as their need to retool the offensive line. They risked losing all of their starters, some of whom weren't worth keeping anyway.
Considering that, GM Andrew Berry struck first with a big trade, acquiring Tytus Howard from the Houston Texans. He only had to give up a fifth-round draft pick, which is nothing for a starting-caliber right tackle. Then, he doubled down on that approach by agreeing to terms with former Los Angeles Chargers guard Zion Johnson and Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins in the early stages of the free agency tampering period.
Unfortunately, as much as Berry deserves praise for getting to work so early, it looks like he may have overpaid for players who may not be able to live up to the price tag. Looking at other deals around the league, it seems that Berry paid some sort of Browns tax to get players to come to Cleveland.
Andrew Berry's offensive line plan reveals an expensive pattern
The Browns are giving Howard a $19 million annual salary under his new contract extension. He's already 30, so that move came with substantial risk. Also, Jermaine Eluemunor got just $13 million a year in free agency, so there were cheaper alternatives.
Then, we see Zion Johnson get $16.5 million a year despite being ranked as one of the worst players at his position last season. Isaac Seumalo signed for $10.5 million, and even if he's older and injury-prone, it still looks like Berry overpaid.
Of course, as much as this game has changed over time, one thing remains true: You have to dominate the trenches. That may not be the flashiest approach, but it has proven to be the right approach time and time again, so there's no such thing as overspending on offensive line help.
That said, it's not like the Browns are getting Trent Williams and Quenton Nelson. Howard and Johnson still need to prove that they're worth that type of money, and while they got Jenkins on a more team-friendly deal at two years, $24 million, he's entering his age-31 season.
According to Over the Cap, the Browns only have $10.65 million in available salary cap space. Berry, like all executives, can find ways to work around that number to have more financial flexibility to spend, but there's only so much he can do.
The offensive line overhaul is far from done, with the Browns potentially using at least one first-round selection on a tackle. Centers and guards can always go for a discount, and there are still plenty of options to choose from.
Still, it's hard to be overly optimistic after watching Berry's early spending spree and the players he's targeted. He reportedly couldn't land Tyler Linderbaum or Alijah Vera-Tucker, and giving Johnson that much money may have been a sign of desperation.
The Browns still need to get at least one starting-caliber wide receiver and probably another cornerback, just for starters. More importantly, these long-term deals can put the team in a tough spot financially for years to come if these guys don't pan out.