Ever since the Cleveland Browns traded for and signed QB Deshaun Watson to his huge contract, the team’s salary cap space has been a hot topic of conversation. With GM Andrew Berry retained, he will continue
to use the salary cap as an accounting tool because the cap is very flexible.
For the last few offseasons, fans and media alike have talked about Cleveland not having space to make moves, yet the team ended the 2025 NFL season with over $20 million in cap space. While we do not have access to the official numbers, the NFLPA says the Browns ended the year with just over $20 million, while Over the Cap projected them with $31 million to end the season.
Cleveland’s roster is going to look significantly different heading into the 2026 season with salary cap space once again being a big conversation. OTC projects that the Browns are $15 million over the cap, while Spotrac has that number just under $3 million over the cap.
We still await word on exactly how much insurance-related cap space Cleveland will get from Watson’s injury.
No matter the starting number, Berry can quickly add tens of millions of dollars to the Browns salary cap space, with little reason not to. (Jack Duffin at The OBR does a great job explaining the details of the salary cap, cash over cap, the use of void years, and more.)
As Bill Sparks pointed out, Berry can add cap space via:
- Rollover cap of at least $20 million
- Restructuring Denzel Ward and Watson to add just under $50 million
- Post June 1st release of Joel Bitonio and David Njoku from their void years to add over $30 million
While many will push back on these moves as “kicking the can down the street,” the Browns are currently projected to have over $118 million in salary cap space in 2027. The cap has continued to rise at a rapid pace as well, so Cleveland can continue to take advantage of owner Jimmy Haslam’s willingness to spend cash to give the team a salary cap advantage.
Even if the Browns do not decide to use all of that cap space, Berry can then roll it over to increase their total salary cap in 2027.
Throughout the offseason, you will hear fans and media discuss Cleveland’s lack of cap space. To some extent, they are right until the Browns make some of the above moves.
