Browns Officially Lock Up Olivier Vernon For 2020, Signal End To Clowney Pursuit
While the Cleveland Browns reportedly made a push to sign free agent Jadeveon Clowney, the team made their commitment to Olivier Vernon official by renegotiating his contract to give him a slightly smaller cap figure, but guaranteeing most of the deal as reported by Field Yates of ESPN.
Vernon was set to make $15.25 million this season, but none of it was guaranteed, so he remained in flux, the subject of speculation. This deal seemingly signals the Browns are no longer pursuing Clowney or Everson Griffen and that Vernon will be their man opposite Myles Garrett for another season.
The Browns can still afford to add them and keep Vernon, but they also appear keen to pile up salary cap space to rollover into 2021 to ensure they have the space to extend Garrett and potentially continue to add impact pieces to their roster.
Vernon now gets $11 million guaranteed for 2020 with $7 million coming in the form of a signing bonus. His base salary is $3.75 million and there is a workout bonus for $250,000, which seemingly would have already be fulfilled by this point. There are also incentives worth up to $2 million.
If Vernon has a poor year, the Browns only pay him $11 million. If he's great, which at times he was in 2020 before an injury sidelined him for much of the latter half of the year, he earns up to $13 million. The Browns get a little cost savings while Vernon gets certainty.
The combination of Vernon and Garrett excelled as a duo last year, including their best games against the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks, where they were dominant. Vernon isn't as versatile as Clowney, but he is incredibly consistent when it comes to using good technique and executing his job, so he's far more predictable than Clowney.
And with the way the Browns have changed up their defensive line, adding more power up the middle, Vernon's ability to work up the field should make it easier to contain mobile quarterbacks and hopefully eliminate escape routes, enabling him to up his sack total. While he was often criticized for his lack of production in the box score, Vernon's understanding of how to play the position at a high level made the defense better and helped create plays for teams.
Last but certainly not least, the Browns eliminate the possibility that they burn a bridge with a good, professional influence in the locker room only to have Clowney opt to go somewhere else.
