The Cleveland Browns are in a tight place. The team has failed miserably to manage their cap amount for their players. This puts them in a tight cap situation for the 2025 season. Despite the NFL boosting the cap limits to about $280 million, the Browns have not fared well. And with the NFL draft coming soon, these issues will only worsen in the future. So much so that an ex-NFL general manager is concerned about the team’s plight.

The Browns shocked everyone with what they offered Myles Garrett. It was one of the most lucrative contracts ever, when they offered him a four-year contract deal worth $160 million, with $123.5 million guaranteed. The team has made history with this deal, and while the contract may be worth the DE, it is simply too expensive for the franchise. The Browns already had a large contract with Deshaun Watson that will cost them $36.936 million cap money in 2025. This already does not look good.

After Garrett’s contract, the most pressing concern at the moment is what the team can do to fix cap issues. So while discussing this, former GM Andrew Brandt commented on the situation, claiming that the team had nothing left to do right now. Brandt argued on X that the team had encircled itself from all sides: “Nothing left. They’ve mortgaged it to the max.” But how can the Browns be in peril with only two large contracts? Well, there is more to this.

In addition to these two large contracts, the Browns have dead cap charges totaling nearly $39.7 million. How does the team have such a high dead cap, you ask? Well, if you recall, the team traded away several key players last season. These names included WR Amari Cooper and DE Za’Darius Smith. As a result, the squad has found itself at a dead end. They even have 11 draft picks available in the NFL Draft, which may cost them over $16.76 million in cap salary.

If the team wants to do well in this position, they must improve their planning. Teams are constantly confronted with such issues, which typically take years to resolve. This is why Andrew Berry needs to take every step pretty carefully if he doesn’t want the Browns to suffer for years with this situation. After all, the team already does not want to miss out on the QB opportunity they have right now.

Despite the Cap issues, the Browns could be seeking QB Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is returning to free agency after a terrific year with the Steelers. While nothing is confirmed concerning the quarterback, some reports say he will meet with several teams. Wilson’s first meeting is going to take place soon and it will be with the Browns. The organization is genuinely looking for a quarterback who can perform their job for lesser money than Deshaun Watson. This allows them to conserve some cap money while also having some flexibility in the NFL draft.

NFL reporter Greg Auman has also projected that Wilson may be an excellent choice for the Browns. The experienced QB is expected to perform well for the team, and he, too, wants to play in orange. He explained, “The Browns, having locked up Myles Garrett, want to be a competitive team, but their cap flexibility is hamstrung by Deshaun Watson’s contract. Would Wilson take less money just to have a team that will give him one more starting opportunity? Start slow, and Wilson’s career ends with him being replaced by Kenny Pickett.”

Wilson completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns while with the Steelers. While these are excellent statistics, they could be particularly beneficial to the Browns given their current cap concerns. But, what are your predictions? Do you believe the team should favor Russell Wilson over Deshaun Watson?