Looking forward to 2019, Browns Free Agency/Trades

Me, rn:

 

Would you have been on board with 4 / 55?

 

Yes. Dude's been the best safety in the NFL the past three seasons.

Plus, it's a $55 million contract but only $32 million fully guaranteed.

 

Odell ..... Why do I have mixed feelings about one of the top WRs in the league?

I think I'm guilty of taking his persona from media reports and developing a negative attitude about the man, not necessarily the player. His penchant for living "out loud" just rubs the wrong way. There I admit it.

Performance wise: loads of talent, speed, sticky hands, and desire to win.At the same time I've seen him cost his team with stupid ego driven penalties, and miss a lot of games with injuries. Those are more tangible concerns.

His impact on the solidarity of this young Browns team would be a bigger concern if we didn't have Baker. Baker isn't going to quietly put up with Odell acting up. Between Baker and Jarvis I expect Odell to be a better team mate than he was in NY, or maybe I just hope that will be true.

I'm trying to put aside his numerous off field antics, as non important, and non impactful to his team. Reports from players say he is a great team mate, and wants desperately to win. The Browns offer that opportunity in spades.

I want this to work, and I believe it can, but I can't completely dismiss the "buts" I've been holding onto for the last 2 years about his behavior.

 

Excellent Post ken..........I liked this trade and think he will be a different player with Cleveland.

I think the Key will be how he reacts with Kitchen......Coach has to groom him to not be an Idiot.

 

He has to catch more passes and more yards than any other WR on your team or he may throw a tantrum like Brown did when JuJu topped him

 

True that Gidi.........I think Baker will throw him the ball and Browns could be the team in AFC North ???

 

Question for one of you smart fellas...According to what I read, the Giants signed Beckham to a $90m extention. They paid Odell $21m last year, and after the trade to Cleveland, he goes into the books as a $16m dead cap hit for the Giants. Does that mean the Giants still pay him another $16m of his $90m dollar deal, even though he's a Brown now? Or what exactly does that mean?

 

Kinda impossible to be the best safety over the last 48 games when you've only been on the field for 25 of them?

 

I think I know the answer to your question but I'll defer to @beachbum .

 

He's been a high performer much longer than just three seasons (that was just the data set available).

 

The only thing the Browns are responsible for are the terms from 2019 - forward. Which means there is nothing prorated in anyway and there won't be unless they do a restructure at some point and bonus out a portion of his salary or roster bonuses.

It's one of the many reasons he required a much heavier investment than needed for AB. He's on the books for the next 5 years and the cap numbers are paltry:

2019 17M
2020 14.25M
2021 15.75M
2022 15M
2023 15M

 

The Browns will pay him the salary for the season (due $17 million this year) but the Giants will have a $16 million cap hit that counts against their total for a player not on their roster.

 

Sorry missed that part of the question. The Giants don't owe him anything. They just have to account for the 16M against the cap all at one time instead of how they attempted to do when they signed him which was 4M per year over 5 years ('18-'22).

 

Agree completely but the guy has played 9 seasons and hasnt played 16 games since 2015. Is he breaking down?

 

@TopDawg That is his remaining bonus money in the dead cap. He had $20M signing bonus spread over 5 years @$4M per year..that escalated to the final 4 years being charged against the cap immediately for the Giants.

Browns currently owe him:
2019 $17M (guaranteed)
2020 $14.25M ($2.75M guaranteed)

All below is non-guaranteed for now..It is being reported he wants more guaranteed money like AB got..so this is likely to change.
2021 $15.75M
2022 $15M
2023 $15M

 

That's a fair question. He didn't miss a start his first six seasons but has been banged up the last three. He's only averaged 10 games played per season over the past three.

So is that $8 million min / $13.75 million max too much for 10 games a season? Maybe.

It's likely his last contract.

 

Depth.

 

For the hesitant crowd, especially as it relates to Beckham's personality:

I don't know. I don't know him or the Giants' culture, locker room, etc. So I don't know how he'll play in Cleveland. I do read, though, and I can offer some quotes around the situation that may help to alleviate some concerns:

I relayed this tweet earlier, but here it is again:

And we have more support in-house in his former (from LSU days) position coach, Adam Henry:

For the Giants, who appear to be a rudderless team half-assing a complete rebuild after botching it in 2018 - you move your most talented player because (spoiler ahead) you don't want him to poison the young QB you're going to draft (or trade for if they get Josh Rosen or Derek Carr).

For the Browns, you have an alpha at QB in Baker Mayfield who changes everything with his personality. AND, you have a familiar and welcome support system in place with a position coach and also a best friend. And also, quite frankly, a very good team. As crazy as it was that we're only a year removed from 0-16, coming to Cleveland from back-to-back 3-13 and 5-11 seasons should be a breath of fresh air. As they say, winning cures everything.