Jedrick Wills restructured deal saves $10 million, secures his spot on the roster

With free agency kicking off in less than a week, the Cleveland Browns continue to find ways to clear cap space. They already freed up more than $11 million by restructuring Denzel Ward's contract earlier this offseason and now they did the same with another top-10 pick.

Tom Pelissero broke the news early on Friday morning that Jedrick Wills had his contract converted into a bonus, allowing him to get a chunk payment. That move helped the team as well by freeing up $10.44 million.

For those scoring at home, the Browns now have roughly $15 million to spend — thanks to the Wills and Ward moves as well as an increased salary cap.

This move doesn't just help Wills by giving him his money up front, it also secures his spot on the roster. That might not be an ideal proposition considering the struggles Wills has had as the starting left tackle but Cleveland's not going to try and move on without another starter. That makes this their best short-term answer as they look for someone to groom for 2025.

Browns could continue to free up space

The new season officially kicks off on March 13 with the 'legal tampering' period opening on March 11. The Browns could free up even more space before then with Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, and Deshaun Watson remaining as potential restructuring or extension options.

Cleveland finished 11-6 last year and had a shot at the No. 1 seed late in the year despite being without several star players. Getting everyone healthy will be a step in the right direction as they look to build upon the success they had in 2023. They'll also need to fill a few holes and could decide to make a splash at either wide receiver or defensive tackle thanks to their latest moves.

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