BarleyNY

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/cap/2017/ I’m sure they did plan to tank, but their cap number that season was less than $10M under the allocated cap (see link above). They carried over $50M into the 2017 season though so their available cap space looked really good - almost $60M. They also had a ton of dead cap due to cutting ties with a bunch of draft busts and underperforming FAs - and buying a pick with the Osweiler trade. And that last one shows you how desperate (and not cheap) they were. They bought a second round pick by eating Osweiler’s guaranteed salary. Now scroll back back through all of the years on Spotrac and look at the NFL salary cap amounts and the total cap expenditures for the Browns. In only two seasons are their cap expenditures more than $10M below the NFL Cap - 2011 and 2015. In some of the other season they were at or over the NFL Cap for the season. I noted this when other Browns fans saw their available cap space and accused them of not trying and trying to make money. No. It was worse than that. They were spending. That was their trying. So yeah, leading up to 2017 they ate a ton of dead money and tanked. They got their QB and have money to spend again and they’re doing it. They amassed a lot of picks and drafted extremely well. That’s been huge. And now maybe they do well. What was wrong with that plan?

Yeah, but no go. I got corrected. He said he’s accepting the 8 games this season. Maybe his agent floated the 6 games or appeal thing as an attempt to influence the length of the suspension. If so, it didn’t work.

Thanks for the info. Wow. I had heard that he’d appeal if he got more than six this season. I guess that was just posturing.

He will appeal unless they count the 4 games he missed last season as part of his suspension.

Taking a difference maker at 9 fits the narrative too though. Just was wondering if Yolo knew more than that.

That isn’t true. They were saving for this, but they actually kept their active spending and cash spending up in recent years. It was a function of horrible drafting and losing. They did not have many second contracts to give out and they had to overpay dearly for free agents. What looked like a massive amount of cap space was due to carryover from many seasons. The Bills looked to have similar cap space this season, but the reality was very different. The Bills has very little carryover. Their space was a function of having had spent up to the cap recently and, after cutting ties with many players and taking a lot of dead money last season, having relatively little cap space dedicated to contracts. It’s the difference between having $60M in the bank and being set to spend $60M less than your budget annually.

Not anymore they aren’t. They’re spending big to try to win now. Their active spending will almost certainly be above the cap this year. They likely will be digging into their carryover cap space as well. Zero issue with the cap floor. And they aren’t done yet. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/cap/ You think the Browns are a team to hate now? Just wait until they start winning. There are a lot of cocky, outspoken players on that team and those mouths aren’t going to stay shut. They’ll be one of the most loved/hated teams in the league depending on their level of success and how you feel about that.

I am sure Beane would like to make a trade like that, but what makes you think he’s trying to get something done?

Sheldon Richardson played for the Vikings on a one year, $8M contract last season. Pretty sure he’d have come here for $10M. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/sheldon-richardson-12293/cash-earnings/

I disagree on use of assets for spending #9 on a DT. It’d be an excellent use if they get a quality player who can get pressure up the middle and play around 2/3rds of the snaps. It’s the World Theory. There are only so many people on the planet with that size, speed and mentality who can do that job. That’s a guy who will be on the field when the game is non the line. Now, I am open to other positions too. We could get a pass rusher or impact player at another position. Yeah. I don’t love the Star contract, but it’s not the end of the world.

Youd expect him to start, but DTs are almost always rotated a lot. Besides, it’s not like you’d want Star in on passing downs

I don’t see Suh signing for $8-9M/yr. Heck, we gave Star 5/$50M. I’d rather have paid a little more and gotten Suh (on a shorter deal) though. It’s a very good bet.

Indy?

Yeah. It’s crazy. You’d expect a lot, but that’s shocking.

BURN THE WITCH!!!

There has been some turnover.

Sweet. Thanks for the reply. Sounds like a good time.

I want to make something crystal clear: you are doing yourself an enormous disservice if you do not immediately read that entire article.

It would surprise me that an adult would really care about the number on their uniform. I know it happens, but it still surprises me. I’m guessing they haven’t even begun to worry about who is wearing what number. Lots of moves to be made. I’d think Poyer would keep his number since he was here before Gore and will be here after him. On a side note, I hope Gore gets at least 4 TDs this season so he hits the century mark for his career.

Serious question: How does that company make money?

Some real sour grapes in this thread

He’s solid, not special. He’d be a nice rotational/depth DE. I’d think the Browns would be looking for a player. Maybe they’d flip picks though.

I thought this tweet was funny and apropos.

Sure, but you can have different targets in different rounds. Maybe there’s a DT or two they’d love at 9, but they have contingency plans if they aren’t on the board. Second round or trade up from there.