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After posting a surprising 11-6 record during the 2023 NFL regular season to earn the No. 5 seed in the AFC, the Cleveland Browns were embarrassed in the opening round of the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans.
The Browns are now faced with an interesting offseason as executive VP of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry faces some salary-cap issues and a lengthy list of unrestricted free agents.
That’s a list of 26, to be exact, according to Over the Cap, some of whom were key contributors to Cleveland’s success this past year.
The most recognizable name, of course, is quarterback Joe Flacco, who came off his couch to lead Cleveland to four key victories down the stretch. Never a long-term option, Flacco isn’t likely to be back as the Browns are obviously set under center with Deshaun Watson and his massive guaranteed contract. Besides, Flacco may end up getting the chance to start elsewhere.
Other notable names include defensive end Za’Darius Smith, linebackers Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki, tight end Harrison Bryant, safety Rodney McLeod, offensive tackle Geron Christian, punter Corey Bojorquez, and running back Kareem Hunt.
The Browns Have 26 Pending Free Agents Heading Into the 2024 NFL Offseason
As mentioned, the Browns have 26 total players set to hit the market this offseason. And while many justify retention, both stars and role players alike, the fact remains that Berry will have to let some of them walk as Cleveland is in somewhat of a pickle financially.
But before we get to that, here’s the Browns’ full list of pending free agents.
| 2024 Cleveland Browns Free Agents | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Type | Current APY |
| Za’Darius Smith | EDGE | Void | $11,677,000 |
| Shelby Harris | IDL | UFA | $3,500,000 |
| Sione Takitaki | LB | UFA | $2,582,500 |
| Joe Flacco | QB | UFA | $2,200,000 |
| Harrison Bryant | TE | UFA | $1,750,000 |
| Marquise Goodwin | WR | UFA | $1,700,000 |
| Jordan Elliott | IDL | UFA | $1,700,000 |
| Corey Bojorquez | P | UFA | $1,690,000 |
| Jakeem Grant | WR | Void | $1,512,500 |
| Mike Ford | CB | UFA | $1,500,000 |
| Kareem Hunt | RB | UFA | $1,350,000 |
| Rodney McLeod | S | UFA | $1,317,500 |
| Matthew Adams | LB | UFA | $1,232,500 |
| Jordan Kunaszyk | LB | UFA | $1,232,500 |
| Anthony Walker Jr. | LB | UFA | $1,232,500 |
| Duron Harmon | S | UFA | $1,165,000 |
| Jeff Driskel | QB | UFA | $1,140,000 |
| Jacob Phillips | LB | UFA | $1,086,078 |
| Geron Christian | LT | UFA | $1,080,000 |
| Maurice Hurst | IDL | UFA | $1,080,000 |
| James Proche | WR | UFA | $1,010,000 |
| Michael Dunn | LG | UFA | $1,010,000 |
| P.J. Walker | QB | UFA | $1,010,000 |
| Nick Harris | C | UFA | $902,412 |
| Sam Kamara | IDL | ERFA | $870,000 |
| Ty Nsekhe | LT | SFA | $438,444 |
For those scoring at home, that’s $45,736,434 worth of Cleveland Browns talent ready to test free agency.
The Browns Are Projected to Be $13.86 Million Over the Salary Cap
Even with the 26 names above off the books, the Browns face some financial concerns heading into this offseason, as Spotrac projects them to be $13.866 million over the salary cap.
The biggest issue, of course, is the $63.977 million hit they’re set to take on Deshaun Watson, which marks the largest cap hit in NFL history, according to The Athletic. But it’s not as if Watson is the only well-paid player on the Cleveland roster, as Amari Cooper, Denzel Ward, and Myles Garrett are all set to rake in more than $20 million during the 2024 campaign.
Now, Berry has already restructured Watson’s contract once and will likely do so again this year to free up space. Exactly how much space is obviously yet to be known, but even if Watson’s cap hit goes down, the Browns will still face some problems in free agency, whether it’s retaining some of the players listed above or bringing in new blood.
In addition, there are likely going to have to be some cap casualties, one of which may be running back Nick Chubb. The four-time Pro Bowler, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, is owed $15.825 million in 2024 but only carries a dead-cap hit of $4 million, which means the Browns could free up more than $11 million if they cut him.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore and kicker Dustin Hopkins could find themselves on the chopping block as well.
Buckle up, Browns fans. It’s bound to be a wild offseason.
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