CLEVELAND – The Browns dug around in their backyard and found almost $11 million in salary cap space.
On Friday, they restructured the contract of left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who underwent arthroscopic surgery in December to repair his torn MCL. The No. 10 overall pick in 2020 out of Alabama, Wills had $13.05 million of his $14.175 million fifth-year option tender converted to a restructure bonus, saving the Browns $10.44 million on the cap. They also added a void year to spread out the bonus.
Coupled with a restructuring for Denzel Ward, who had $11.359 million of his base converted to a bonus, the Browns now have about $13 million in cap space heading into the league year on March 13.
It gives the Browns some leeway to sign free agents or to make a trade. The Browns will be somewhat active in the market even if they don’t make their usual splash. They have other players whose contracts they can re-do, including Deshaun Watson (almost $64 million cap charge) and Amari Cooper (almost $24 million cap charge).
They will also restructure the contract of Nick Chubb, who’s coming off the second major reconstruction of his left knee, injured in Week 2 against the Steelers. But with Chubb not set to practice for a few months, they have some time to work through that process.
Wills suffered the injury Nov. 5 against the Cardinals when defensive tackle Leki Fotu fell into him. He was carted off the field in great pain and looked like he was done for the season. However, an MRI revealed an MCL injury and not the more extensive ACL. The Browns thought he might make it back for the playoffs, but it wasn’t to be. Wills underwent the surgery in mid-December and is expected to make a full recovery for the 2024 season.
Wills’ MCL injury preceded that of right tackle Dawand Jones, who suffered one during practice in early December and was also lost for the season after undergoing surgery. The Browns also have original starting right tackle Jack Conklin coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL from the opener against the Bengals. If all three are healthy by the start of the season, the Browns will have to decide which two are starting.
By the home stretch, when Joe Flacco was winning games for the Browns and going 4-1 to help them clinch a playoff berth, they were down to their fourth and fifth tackles in Geron Christian on the left side and James Hudson III on the right.
Wills, who’s expected to start at left tackle again next season, came under heavy fire by fans for giving up a strip-sack in the Steelers game that led to T.J. Watt’s fumble recovery for a touchdown. But Wills elevated his game last season, ranking in the top 10 in pass-block win rate, according to ESPN analytics. In addition to the restructuring, the Browns will likely consider an extension for Wills at some point during the season.
But Deshaun Watson should have plenty of healthy offensive tackles for next season.
