Browns Free Up More Cap Space, Restructure Deal With Offensive Lineman

Over the past couple of seasons, the Cleveland Browns have become known for one major thing.

And no, it's not losing games. It's restructuring contracts.

On Saturday, May 2, the Browns decided to add another name to the restructured contract list, agreeing to a deal for 2026 worth $1.5 million with offensive tackle Dawand Jones. The deal includes $1.145 million, a difference from the $3.674 million he was due after hitting an escalator.

Not only does this work out in Jones' favor, giving him a good chunk of guaranteed money, but it also saves a bit of cap space for the Browns.

The Browns and OT Dawand Jones agreed to a restructured deal for 2026 worth $1.5 million, including $1.145M guaranteed.

Jones, who has 20 NFL starts, had been due $3.674M after hitting an escalator. This frees up cash and cap for Cleveland while Jones gets some guaranteed money.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 2, 2026

Since making a blockbuster trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson back in 2022, the Browns have restructured his contract four different times, all while fixing numerous other contracts of aging veterans on the roster.

These types of financial decisions allow the players to make out with money that they know they will be receiving, nearly no matter what, all while the front office is able to get more cap space in the short term.

This offseason, after restructuring the contract of Watson and cornerback Denzel Ward, the front office was able to free up enough room to make impactful free agent signings.

While in the long-term, the books might get a bit complicated for Cleveland, in the short-term, it allows them to remain competitive as they attempt to figure out how to handle Watson's heavy weight on the books.

Why Jones' Contract Reworking Helps

Pointed out by Jack Duffin on 247Sports, heading into the upcoming campaign, Jones was initially due to earn roughly $1.145 million. Since he played over 35% of his snaps in two of his first three years, he was able to achieve the Proven Performance Escalator for year four, which was what Tom Pelissero mentioned.

This means that his earnings jump to nearly $4 million, which would be a big hit on Cleveland's books for a player coming off a pretty gruesome injury in 2025.

With his involvement unknown heading into 2026, primarily due to his season-ending injury, the Browns were able to give him less money, but more guaranteed, so that both sides can be happy.

As of now, with how many guys the team has competing for spots up front, there is a good chance that Jones ends up being thrown onto the back burner.

The Browns have already brought in offensive linemen Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, Teven Jenkins, Tytus Howard and Spencer Fano as the five main headline-grabbers. Each of them, as long as everything goes to plan, could end up being the starting five by the time Week 1 hits.

However, Jones will still likely end up playing snaps here and there, all while serving as a strong backup, making his spot on the roster important.

Add us as a preferred source on Google