Browns salary cap expert predicts lots of Jimmy Haslam’s money being spent this offseason

NFL free agency could be active for the Browns but extension could also use up some cash

Like most things in life, there are levels of understanding when it comes to the NFL’s salary cap. Cleveland Browns fans are well versed in some of the details, but that doesn’t make many of us experts.

The Browns salary cap is a key conversation, mostly due to QB Deshaun Watson’s contract and constant restructuring. While the salary cap rose again this year and Cleveland has a lot of rollover cap, there are limitations with what GM Andrew Berry calls “an accounting mechanism.”

Those limitations are part of the reason DE Myles Garrett is unlikely to be traded but that doesn’t mean that Berry and the Browns won’t be spending money this offseason, either in NFL free agency or in extensions. As Berry noted at the NFL combine a few years ago, cash and cap are different things in the league:

Jack Duffin of The OBR, a real salary cap expert, believes that Berry will have around $76 million to spend in cash this offseason:

Duffin’s piece breaks down the information in detail and is well worth your read.

While fans and media often talk about cap hits, cash spending is more important in the big picture. Signing bonuses allow creative front offices to move money around. Almost $77 million gives Berry a chance to add important pieces or get extensions done with players already on the roster.

This year’s free agency class may not be a strong one, but the trade market is ripe with players seeking to move on from their current team and cash in with another. Cleveland might not sign a big name player, but could be active with a number of mid-level starters while making a deal for a higher-end player.

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Are you surprised by Duffin’s projection? Do the details about the NFL’s salary cap interest you or mostly bore you?

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