Browns restructure contracts of two star players

Cleveland’s Bitonio move created $7.9M in cap space; the Garrett restructure opened up $12.9M. These moves return the Browns to the top spot in NFL cap space, a place they resided throughout the 2022 season. Cleveland used cap carryover and a Deshaun Watson restructure to reach this point as well.

Garrett signed a then-record-setting $25M-per-year extension during the 2020 offseason. Doing so tied the former No. 1 overall pick to the Browns through the 2026 season. Given Garrett’s performance level, it would not surprise to see the parties huddle up about another extension. 

For now, however, Garrett is attached to a deal that has been passed over by two edge rushers (T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa) and is about to be eclipsed by the 49ers’ forthcoming Nick Bosa extension.

Bitonio is on his third Browns contract, having agreed to a three-year, $48M extension during the 2021 season. The Browns locked down both their starting guards — Bitonio and Wyatt Teller — in the same week two years ago. Bitonio, 31, is signed through the 2024 season. 

He has been the Browns’ longest-tenured player for a bit now. The Browns used void years to slash Bitonio’s 2023 cap hit from $14.6M to $6.7M, with four such years now present in the contract. It would not surprise if Garrett’s deal, which presently includes no void years, will soon have those present as well.

The Browns now have more than $35M in cap space; no other team holds more than $23M. It will be interesting to monitor how the team goes about its late-summer plans now that it added more than $20M in cap room. 

Cleveland’s most notable adjustment came in March, when a restructure dropped Watson’s would-be record-setting figure ($54.9M) to $19.1M. While only one void year is present in the quarterback’s landmark deal, the contract’s 2024-26 cap hits each ballooned to $63.9M.