With their first major task now completed, the next order of business is now painfully obvious for general manager Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland will soon introduce new head coach Todd Monken in Berea. Then, the focus turns squarely to the roster and getting salary cap compliant ahead of free agency and the draft.
As it stands, the Browns are projected to be around $20 million over the 2026 salary cap, according to Over the Cap. Berry currently finds himself in the fifth-worst cap situation in the league.
But nothing is exactly what it seems when it comes to NFL cap numbers, as Berry can use a few routine contract conversions to clear an abundance of space, starting with restructuring QB Deshaun Watson’s deal for the third consecutive offseason.
It’s also worth noting that Over the Cap’s metrics are based on a $295 million cap maximum, and according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, that projection was modest.
The NFL’s expected salary cap jump just reshaped the Browns’ offseason plan
Pelissero reported Friday that the NFL’s 2026 salary cap number is expected to be over $300 million, at the very least. That means the Browns could jump from $20 million over the cap, to more than $10 million under with Watson’s contract restructure alone.
“The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source.
That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022.”
Berry didn’t sound concerned at all about Cleveland’s salary cap situation during the team’s end-of-season press conferences back on Jan. 5, and this is exactly why. These are always fluid numbers, and while the checks come due eventually down the road, the Browns have the luxury of an owner who’s been committed to spending on player contracts. According to Spotrac, Cleveland spent over $320 million in real cash in 2025, which ranked No. 8 in football.
Fans shouldn’t fret about the team being in “cap jail” entering the new league year, which will be a big one as the Monken regime begins to shape the roster in its vision. Even with Watson’s contract hovering over the franchise like a dark cloud, the Browns have enough levers to pull to be major players when free agency kicks off in early March.
But make no mistake — this late Christmas gift from the NFL will definitely make it easier.