Browns Rainy Day Fund

After restructuring the contract of Deshaun Watson earlier in the offseason, the Cleveland Browns have done the same with Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett and David Njoku. The reason is planning for future seasons, but if the right opportunity comes along, the Browns could pounce.

With Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett and David Njoku agreeing to restructure their deals to push money out into the future, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry has built up approximately $37 million in cap space. That space was created with the intent to roll it over into 2024 and enable the Browns to continue paying for the most dollar-intensive roster in the NFL, but if the right situation were to come along, the Berry has the flexibility to act.

Just as he did last year, Berry created a ton of cap space with the intent of rolling it over into 2023. Most of that came in the form of contract extensions with limited money down that was rolled over. As some assumed the Browns were going to be in cap trouble this year, the Browns were able to sign Dalvin Tomlinson, Juan Thornhill, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Shelby Harris and trade for Za'Darius Smith. Now, Berry is doing the same thing for 2024.

Rolling over $37 million would become $74 million next year, which would go a long way into making sure the Browns don't have to move anyone simply over money. That combined with the fact the Browns are likely to once again restructure Watson's contract next year, the Browns would be comfortably under the cap.

But even as Berry is prudently planning for that money to go into next year, that money also allows him to be open to opportunities to upgrade the talent the team has now. Particularly if the Browns get into the season and enjoy a strong start, they might be in the market for a finishing touch.

That's how the Browns were able to add Amari Cooper and Za'Darius Smith from the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings respectively while giving up little in compensation. Berry positioned the Browns to have plenty of cap space available and capitalized on opportunities, whether they were foreseeable or not.

Teams that could stand out in this regard include the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts. Both have star defensive tackles in Aaron Donald and DeForest Buckner who don't have a meaningful future with their current teams. If those teams struggle ahead of the trade deadline, those two teams could attempt to flip them for additional picks to accelerate their build. In Buckner's case, the Colts would likely need to eat some of the $20.25 million salary even as that figure is reduced for each game he plays, but he could still be a prize for a team like the Browns.

The higher the salary, the better chances the Browns have at landing them simply because they are in such privileged position, but there could be other moves to make. If the Houston Texans are as bad as they could be, they could look to get something in exchange for edge rusher Jerry Hughes. He's 35 and his salary is low, so there would be reason to move him, but they could have a number of suitors.

Even if the Browns don't feel compelled to go after player that could be available, their name may be thrown around as a suitor. Another team may be forced to bid against the Browns reputation and pay slightly more, an ancillary benefit of Berry's track record.

Realistically, the money the Browns have stashed is going to be used for next season. The organization wants to be able to keep this core together as long as possible. They want to avoid losing players to financial attrition, keep themselves able to keep adding and give themselves the ability to compete for several years rather than going all in for one season. If the right opportunity comes along, Berry could pull the trigger to benefit the team now and recalibrate their plans for money in the future.