Heading into the 2024 season, it was mentioned and predicted by many media outlets that the Cleveland Browns would challenge the Baltimore Ravens for the division crown. After all, they had won 11 games the season before, made the playoffs with the highest Wild Card seed, had their starting QB Deshaun Watson coming back from yet another injury and many players/coaches had received league accolades as being the best at their craft.

This was coupled with the fact that just about every starter on both sides of the ball plus special teams was returning. There were a few new faces, such as Jordan Hicks at middle linebacker, and a committee of running backs to spell Nick Chubb until he could return from his knee injury.

Then the wheels fell off. Early. Like in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys who had won 12 games three seasons in a row. The Browns were spanked 33-17 in a contest that wasn’t close at any point except the opening kickoff. Later, it was discovered that the Cowboys were not a good team, and yet they dominated Cleveland.

In Week 2 the Browns won over the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, and then reeled off five straight losses to horrid clubs such as the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Football Giants. In the end, it was a 14-loss season as the Browns became the only team in the AFC North to finish with a losing record.

Cleveland has holes at almost every position.

But there is some good news. The salary cap is friendlier this off-season due to rollover cap.

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It is true that GM Andrew Berry has struggled with his draft choices, and has had some questionable signings with hits and misses with free agents, but when it comes to the financial side of the game he is quite the student of excellence.

The NFL begins its new year on March 12. Cleveland enters the 2025 calendar year with $41.9 million in rollover salary cap. What that means is that each NFL club must submit to the league the amount of 2024 salary cap space that they will carry over to the 2025 season. The Browns have the second-highest amount carried over behind the San Francisco 49ers at $50.09 million.

The majority of the Browns rollover is attributed to Berry reworking Watson’s contract in order to create more salary cap room. With Cleveland having both their first and second-round draft picks this year, this will mandate paying more in rookie salaries than in previous seasons. Plus, Berry should be very active in the free agency period which begins March 10.

Everywhere you look with this roster there are plenty of new faces that will need to be brought in and help improve this team. Free agency is an excellent avenue to address those needs. The problem is, these are established veterans and their contracts are not cheap. Exceptional players will want to get paid.

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A standard in contract renegotiations is to convert guarantees into performance bonuses. This allows clubs to extend the funds saved in the current football season and spread the money trail across multiple seasons in the future.

Watson’s contract was the first for Berry to adjust when his deal was extended for another year but without any money added to the already hefty sum.

In all likelihood, other players will see their contracts adjusted as well as the free agency period gets closer. This will allow Berry some added wiggle room for the new guys he plans to sign.

Despite the rollover cap, Cleveland is currently projected to be over $20 million over next year’s salary cap. That is before any insurance claim on Watson’s contract or potential voiding of his deal. Both would quickly change the Browns salary cap health for next year and beyond.