I've been thinking more and more about this. You are right, it doesn't really make much sense to wait. The contract will be an extension anyway, so the future money earned (cap hit) will actually begin in 2023, like Allen's is. By then the cap amount will have righted itself from the COVID losses. The new TV contracts will be kicking in. Like it or not, OBJ and Jarvis will both be expendable after this season. I want them to go all out to try and get both of these receivers a ring this year so they can be sent off with a reward for these past few seasons. That cap money though can be converted to QB cap space (approximately $31M between the two WRs), so that the cap hit isn't quite as bad as what we are all expecting. If we are paying a QB $40M+ per year, then that guy will be responsible for making all of his receivers better around him. We won't have to rely on receivers that help make the QB look better. If he isn't that guy, then he shouldn't be paid like that. I say we sign Hollywood to a contract extension this off season, for say average of $3.5M over 3 years. Get DPJ into the starting lineup and see what he is going to bring from the front lines, if he is as good as he is looking this training camp/off season, then you have someone that can step up over the next 3 seasons. Anthony Schwartz, you have through 2024, we will see if he can develop as this season progresses. Next year's draft, be looking for more talent to add. It's also time for Austin Hooper to step up BIG time with the money he is being paid. We don't have an out for him until 2023 realistically. He isn't tradeable at this point based on last years stats and his contract. We have a lot of weapons in the receiver room. Time to separate what you want in the future. 2021 is a Super Bowl or bust year. If they can learn how to win a championship with this roster, hopefully they will have enough carry over to teach others moving forward. I don't think we ever have as good a roster as we have this season anytime into the future. This is the epitome of the plan that was put in motion a few years back. The cap will need to be managed more and more every year from here on out.
DPJ is definitely making his presence felt. I really like Hollywood, but he's not fast, doesn't make crisp routes, he just seems to have a knack for getting open and Baker has tons of confidence in him making the catch. And he does, at a better clip than all the other guys. OBJ / Jarvis: man I love Jarvis to death, for all that he does and all that he represents for the Browns. We simply wouldn't be here without him. That said, his on the field skillset is far more replaceable than OBJ's. Schwartz is a project, but maybe worth the time investment - dunno. For me it rests on Baker. Does he become that QB who makes his guys better, or does he need the high skillset around him. This is his year to prove it. I'm betting he steps up, but maybe doesn't completely dispell the questions. Hooper on the other hand, looks like TE 3 this camp. I can't understand how he came here and died. If that doesn't change, he's gotta go. I'm still intriqued by Njoku. A beastly man, with some speed and a vertical that makes him a red zone mismatch everytime. A lot of either way we win. How's that for a change on our status, guys who may not be able to crack the lineup, are still high value guys. I love it, and I trust Berry to make all that pay.
The Steelers started five new linemen during the HOF game. Najee Harris is a stud -- I was really high on the guy -- but you're asking him to solve a much larger problem.
I think Prescott is the likely comp for Baker. Both play in a similar style offense where there's still an emphasis on the running game, unlike Buffalo, Green Bay, and Kansas City where the QB is asked to shoulder much more of the load. Statistically, they align pretty well. Mayfield (through 3 years): 11,115 yards, 75 TD, 43 INT, 89.1 rating Prescott (through 3 years): 10,876 yards, 67 TD, 25 INT, 96.0 rating I don't know what's in Baker's head, whether he wants the shorter-term, higher dollar approach, whether he is willing to take a "discount" to keep the core unit together, etc. If New Orleans was able to print money for years and essentially figure out the cap, I'm sure Cleveland can do it.
Personally I think the numbers could vary be no more than a paultry $5million. So that being said, I think the Browns are willing to risk that, for another year of "peace of mind" about their "franchise QB". Not sure I can disagree with that, if the $5million is viewed as a big loss elsewhere. As I said I love Landry but his on field skill set is not so rare he can't be replaced. I'm not sure I feel the same way about OBJ, but we'll all get a full season to ponder that puzzle. The Denzel Ward question is more of a conundrum, because he seemilngly will never play a full season, but then how many guys do? Teller is anothere one who lit it up last year. Will he do it again this year, and if he does what's the number for a guard? Where does the $5million hurt? How much can the salary cap growth help? Like I said above, I think the Browns and any team thinking they want to sign their rookie has to know it's a $40million dollar point of entry, basically, so the question is where do we feel the pain.
Let's pretend our Browns win the Super Bowl! Now how do we feel about the payroll? Not that we don't care, but how does that impact the equation? Generally SB winners get raped for players by the league, so keeping guys will be harder (cost more money, or at least be tempted to take more, elsewhere). Getting guys like Teller and Ward signed during the season will help to keep the wolves at bay, but depth guys will be picked off. Guys like Clowney, Mack Wilson, Njoku, DPJ, Harris, and any number of D backs, could be open to making some money. How does a SB win make that different?
This is my breakdown of expected 53 man roster: QB (2): Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum WR (6): Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Donovan Peoples-Jones, Hollywood Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge, Anthony Schwartz (Alexander Hollins, JoJo Natson to practice squad) TE (3): Austin Hooper, David Njoku, Harrison Bryant RB (3): Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, (Demetric Felton to practice squad) FB (1): Andy Janovich OT (4): Jedrick Wills Jr., Jack Conklin, Chris Hubbard, James Hudson III (Greg Senat to practice squad) OG (3): Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, ??? (Remainder of Mike Dunn, Blake Hance, Drew Forbes to practice squad) OC (2): JC Tretter, Nick Harris Total Offense: 24 PS: 6 DE (4): Myles Garrett, Jadeveon Clowney, Porter Gustin, Takkarist McKinley (Curtiss Weaver, Cameron Malveaux, Romeo McKnight to practice squad) DT (5): Andrew Billings, Malik Jackson, Jordan Elliot, either Tommy Togiai, Sheldon Day (Malik McDowell to PS) CB (5): Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Greg Newsome II, Troy Hill, M.J. Stewart (A.J. Green, Kiondre Thomas, Brian Allen (V spot) to practice squad) S (5): John Johnson III, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Grant Delpit, Sheldrick Redwine, Richard LeCounte III (Jovante Moffatt to practice squad) LB (6): Anthony Walker Jr., Mack Wilson, Jacob Philips, Sione Takitaki, Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, Tony Fields II (Elijah Lee (V spot), Malcolm Smith (V spot) to practice squad) Total Defense: 25 PS: 10 (with 2 of our 4 available veteran spots filled) K (1): Cody Parkey P (1): Jamie Gillan LS (1): Charley Hughlett That would leave one roster spot (and an additional player to add to the PS). I would be scouring the cuts to see if there is anything that would help the team. If not, then I would look at promoting Demetric Felton to the active roster.
Now, all that said... Back to discussion about Baker's extension. It would not effect this year's salary cap in the least. It could easily be written so that the major cap hits don't begin until the 2023 season. Remember, they already have the cap figured out for Baker counting $18M in 2022, so we are only talking about finding about $22-23M in order to allow for the current market contract extension. So, looking forward, I think we can see that some of the current cap situation will change based on veterans possibly moving on in the future: JC Tretter, currently $11M against the cap, signed through 2022 ($9.875M in 2022), Nick Harris waiting in the wings, owning cap of $858k(2021), $973k(2022) and $1.08M(2023) respectively. If he is the answer, then his extension could bring him approx. $3M per year, which would shave $6.5-8M per year on the cap, while bringing in another rookie in 2023 to groom. Jarvis Landry, currently $14.71M against the cap, signed through 2022 ($16.6M in 2022), we have a lot of young guys (DPJ, Hollywood) ready to take more snaps. Look early in next year's draft for another rookie to get ready OBJ, currently $15.75M against the cap, signed through 2023 (15.0M in 2022 and 15.0M in 2023), same scenario as Jarvis for players waiting for a chance to become a bigger part. They could decide to trade both of them which would instantly bring about $30M after Jarvis dead cap hit to the relief fund. In my opinion, all three stay through 2022, they have two tries at the Super Bowl, then Tretter and Landry move on in 2023. This money will take care of Baker's contract needs. We haven't even touched the defense yet...by design.. There will need to be some hard decisions made on Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit over the next few years. Also, Myles big cap numbers start hitting in 2023 as well. I am hoping by 2023, the cap increases begin returning to normal.
For players who value the dollars, they'll jump regardless. For players who want to win another Super Bowl, a young, successful team like Cleveland has to be appealing. Maybe if the Chiefs or Bills come calling they could re-consider. I'll add in Tampa Bay (if Tom Brady comes back for *another* season) or wherever Aaron Rodgers ends up. Cleveland's in a really advantageous spot this year. WHEN they win a Super Bowl, the only big names on the market will be Clowney, Njoku (whom they haven't shown a ton of interest in keeping around long-term), Higgins (who as much as I hate it would be replaceable if Peoples-Jones makes a huge leap) and then maybe Anthony Walker Jr. or Malcolm Smith at the LB spots?
Irish, you have to add a third QB to your depth chart. All teams will roll with three until COVID is over.
Jarvis Landry, a wide receiver, is the third-best QB in the Division. 1. Baker Mayfield, CLE 2. Joe Burrow, CIN 3. Jarvis Landry (WR), CLE
Anybody know if the starters will get any play time in our final preseason game? Getting a good look at the 2nd and 3rd string, which seems to be playing well against the other teams' mix of 1st and 2nd stringers.
From what I heard today @Duff_Beer_Doug , the starters will remain on the sidelines this weekend. It sounds like they have already began preparing for the Chiefs. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they don’t even win this last preseason game… guys on the bubble will get ample opportunity to impress.
Those Browns back-ups have been looking pretty good though... thanks for the B-day wishes fellas. Is anyone else worried about this one. The injury to Cody Parkey has sorta gone under the radar, but I'm concerned on that front. We've all seen great teams get derailed in a hurry because of issues in the placekicking game. He really wasn't bad last year, and obviously Cleveland is among the most difficult places to kick, if not the most.
