GM Andrew Berry and the Browns may look back on one contract in particular as they try to manage a hefty salary cap cost as the team begins an offseason of unavoidable change.
One of the main issues confronting Browns general manager and vice president of football operations Andrew Berry this offseason will be navigating an increasing salary cap burden.
The unfortunate aspect of creating a playoff squad is that it gets harder and harder to hold onto every player, sometimes even starting lineup staples. These days, a team may extend a Super Bowl window with a variety of cunning cap tricks, but those aren’t easy to copy and paste for every deal. Every agreement with a player is distinct from the others, and some can be manipulated more easily than others to save money on caps.
Berry will have to go over those specifics. There’s a deal he’s probably going to find out he regrets as he spends the upcoming weeks trying to figure out how to balance Cleveland’s book.
Berry will have to go over those specifics. There’s a deal he’s probably going to find out he regrets as he spends the upcoming weeks trying to figure out how to balance Cleveland’s book.
Cleveland would be disappointed if they could rescind Conklin’s contract. In a perfect scenario, Conklin would be a great candidate to be released this offseason due to cap savings, as their contribution on the field is not worth the cap savings. Berry can’t do that in this case, though, as it would expose the Browns to a $21.9 million dead cap hit that would either be added to the salary cap for the upcoming season or divided into two seasons’ worth of bookkeeping at $7 million and $14 million apiece.
The earliest Cleveland may choose to move on from Conklin in order to save $15 million—while still having to pay $10 million in dead cap charges—will be following the 2025 season. After the 2026 season, there is an even better out that would only cost the Brown $4.4 million and offer $15 million in cap relief.
In contrast, Jones should only cost slightly more than $1 million every season for the next three.
Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, and while Berry and his staff should take some of the blame for agreeing to the agreement, they should also be commended for making contact with Jones—especially considering that he was a later-round prospect. Furthermore, a scenario can play out in which Conklin becomes the team’s starting right tackle the following season after recovering from a season-ending knee injury, and the organization chooses to waive 2020 first-round selection Jedrick Wills. In that case, the issue might be resolved by shifting Jones to the left side of the offensive line. If it occurs, then maybe none of this matters. However, there are a lot of “what ifs” in that.
From the current situation, it appears like Berry and the Browns may come to regret giving Conklin’s extension.
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