Duff Beer Doug's Next Year - 2024 Version

Starting this new thread in honor of @Duff_Beer_Doug 's "Wait 'til next year" fandom.

 

Open to any and all suggestions (with the exception of Gideon snark).

At the moment, we're about $14,000,000 OVER THE CAP with only 40 players under contract, 26 in-house free agents and 6 2024 draft picks.

 

If the 1st post didn't make you nauseous, get ready to throw up in your mouth. I found a couple of errors (on my part) in the 1st post. They're fixed and updated in the following.

 

{crickets}

 

I’ll get to it. Stop pressuring me. Sorry @Lyman , just haven’t had the time to sit and really look it over and research a bit.

 

About all I know is the success of Dawand Jones means somebody on the o-line goes.

 

The obvious choice would be Conklin. The problem is if you cut him, you just added about $10M in dead money which then puts us at $26M over the cap. His contract also makes him, basically, un-tradable.

The other option is:

• Release RT Leroy Watson (saves $915K in cap)
• Move James Hudson back to RT.
• Move Duwand Jones to LT.

Now the question becomes do you want to pay a back-up tackle $14.6M ?

 

Just curious, what site are you using to find all the salary cup info? I may have to start brushing up on my lunch breaks so I can add to this conversation. I know you have that nice little chart displayed up above. Just wondering where.

 

Typically, I use two of them.

• Spotrac.com
  
• Over the Cap.com

They both somewhat agree with the other but sportrac seems to be a little more current.

 

Okay, I think this has stalled due to waiting for salary cap magic to occur with new reworked contracts for several players that will free up some cap room. So I have only thought about the offense so far and it's just a few general observations without really putting in the time to assess cap hits. I can say that every TE not named Njoku could be cut. I think they cut or trade at least one of the OL with Duwand Jones slated to start next year. And as much as I hate to say it, Chubb could be a cap casualty due to his injury and age. Could cut a few WR's like Tillman and David Bell.

I think they'll start working on contracts here soon and have cap room freed up prior to free agency really starting up. They're going to have to replace Za'dareus Smith and I can see them trying to get another WR in free agency. Other than that, who knows.....too many pieces to sort through first.

 

By

• Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Things I’m hearing about the Browns:

1. It’s very doubtful the Browns will make a big move (read expensive) for a receiver. They want to upgrade that area of the team, but they believe they have two Pro Bowlers in Amari Cooper and David Njoku. One of the parts of adding new coaches to the offense is to make better use of Njoku’s pass-catching ability.

2. As for those rumors about Cooper being cut for salary cap purposes, I wrote that won’t happen a few weeks ago. Nothing has changed. The Browns also want the new coaches to squeeze more out of Elijah Moore, making him a viable No. 2 behind Cooper.

3. They want to develop Cedric Tillman, who has the size and raw ability to be a solid receiver. I expect them to add a less expensive veteran receiver, and probably draft another receiver. But that could happen in the middle rounds.

4. The fact that only receivers coach Chad O’Shea returned to the coaching staff on offense shows the Browns believe there were deeper problems than most of us assumed. They believe new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey can bring more options to the offense, especially for QB Deshaun Watson in the RPO (run/pass options), the shotgun and more passes on the move.

5. The loss of offensive line coach Bill Callahan is significant. But the Browns believe the combination of new offensive line coach Andy Dickerson and assistant Roy Istvan should keep them in good shape.

6. My source on Dickerson: “Dickerson is a Callahan disciple (they worked together with the Jets) whose specialty is in the wide and mid zone run game (the basis of Kevin Stefanski’s system). He’s a master in pass protection scheme. His strengths in the player development world are catering to different learning styles and working with young players.”

7. Istvan was assistant offensive line coach in Philadelphia from 2019-23. In 2019, he was there with GM Andrew Berry and Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. My source on Istvan: “Excellent with player development, well trained under Jeff Stoutland and has expertise in the spread/RPO run game.” Stoutland has been Eagles offensive line coach since 2013 and has developed the blocking schemes that have helped mobile Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts be successful.

8. I hear the Browns “feel good” about the offensive line. They believe Dawand Jones may soon be a Pro Bowler. They are “bullish” on how Jedrick Wills Jr. finished the season. They hope Jack Conklin can stay healthy. That would give them three starting caliber tackles.

9. I don’t agree with everything my source said, but it is a window into the thinking of the Browns. I still think the Browns need to add another veteran to the offensive line capable of starting. They are very likely to draft at least one offensive lineman. Offensive linemen and defensive backs are much like pitchers in baseball – when you think you have enough, add one or two more.

10. Nick Chubb isn’t going anywhere. They will rework his contract, giving him time to come back from a pair of major surgeries (on the same knee) within three months last year. It makes sense for Chubb to stay here where he’s done his rehabilitation and where the team is invested in him. But there are financial issues to work out.

 

Denzel Ward

FEB 28 2024

Converted $14.199M of base salary into signing bonus, adding 1 void year, clearing $11,359,200 of cap with Cleveland

 

So that puts them at about $1M still over the cap?

 

By my calculations (includes rookie draft pick accruals), $741,538 over the cap. In order to be proactive in free agency, I think they need to find another $30 to $40M in restructures (Watson, Garrett, Bitonio, Teller, Conklin [?], Wills [?] ) and/or extensions (Chubb, Cooper).

 

Add another $13M to the over the cap side of the ledger.

 

Who is the trade off? They are restructuring contracts, but I haven’t seen anyone lost yet. Has anyone seen/heard of anyone that’s going to be cut to help with the cap?

very curious..

I want to add more to this roster and Jerry Jeudy does that imo.

My concern is, what will we lose from the roster. If parity is paramount, I’m assuming the other shoe needs to drop somewhere?

I know Berry has had a plan to give the Browns a window of a few years to get a championship. I think this might be the year of all in, and that window is probably 2024-2026. Then the cap reset for the Browns will hit critical mass, much like it did for the Bills this offseason. They are purging their talent. I hope I get to see a Super Bowl these next few seasons, otherwise it could be another long wait.

 

Just reading about the Jeudy trade:

According to Over The Cap, the Browns entered the weekend with $17 million in salary cap space. That gives them room to add Jeudy’s contact. They also are working on some other contract changes with current players to add more salary cap room.

After the trade it looks like they’re just shy of $5M in cap space before they restructure some more contracts.

 

Not sure if it’s true but…..

 

I was hoping the Vikings would resign him, but it didnt work out...