The New England Patriots were dominated in the Super Bowl on Sunday, losing to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13. However, the fact that the Patriots were even in position for that to happen has to be an inspiration to teams like the Cleveland Browns.
This time last year, New England was coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, and had just hired Mike Vrabel off of Cleveland's staff as head coach.
The Browns can relate to those circumstances, winning a combined eight games in the last two seasons, and recently hiring Todd Monken as head coach. It’d be a dream come true if Cleveland found itself in the Super Bowl next season.
While anything is possible, the Browns are missing a significant part of the equation that led to the Patriots turnaround: cap space.
Lack of cap space could make Browns’ path to contender status more challenging
New England had some talented young players and an exciting head coach as it entered last offseason, but the team also had the most cap space in the NFL, at just over $130 million. The Patriots put that money to use, handing out nearly $365 million in total contract dollars. Those deals went to players like Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, K’Lavon Chaisson, and several other guys who had huge impacts in getting New England to the Super Bowl.
The Browns probably won’t be able to go on that kind of spending spree this offseason. They are currently projected to have just $3.2 million in cap space this year. Of course, Cleveland will perform several restructures and other moves to free up more cap space, but the team probably won’t create enough to splurge in free agency.
That means the Browns probably won’t have a Patriots-like turnaround, or they will, but it will look different. There’s always multiple ways to achieve a goal, so maybe Cleveland’s path to contender status isn’t through free agency. The Browns will need to pull off a few really good free agency signings, but they clearly have to gamble on another elite draft class, and some really good coaching.
It’s not impossible for Cleveland to turn things around in one year without a massive spending spree. In 2025, the Browns were a five-win team, and also threw away a few other winnable games. That’s the first sign that Cleveland may not be as far off as people think they are.
If the defense can remain elite, the front office can add a few valuable pieces to the offense, and Todd Monken can lead an offensive unit that isn’t in the bottom of the league, the Browns will have a chance to be in the mix in 2026.