@ibleedbrown said:

Yeah l don’t understand what kind of accounting voodoo is going on in the Browns’ front office. It’s like the salary cap is a suggestion. At some point we’re going to have a team full of udfa rookies to pay for this right? 

I doubt it.  The cap goes up on average 7% a year.  It's not likely to go down any time soon.  Natural attrition takes money off the books.  Bitonio will retire soon enough.  Ward won't get resigned if he doesn't have to retire before his contract is up.

People retire or die and younger people step in to the jobs.  Just the natural cycle of things.

@ibleedbrown said:

l don’t understand what kind of accounting voodoo is going on

Here ya go.  Clear as mud.

QB Deshaun Watson’s Contract After 2024’s Restructuring

@ibleedbrown said:

Yeah l don’t understand what kind of accounting voodoo is going on in the Browns’ front office. It’s like the salary cap is a suggestion. At some point we’re going to have a team full of udfa rookies to pay for this right? 

I have zero idea and to be honest have never had an interest in learning the ins and outs of the economics regarding the salary cap. Somehow I get the impression that the Haslams have just decided to go rogue and pay Watson in straight cash, homey as a bonus - which doesn't go against the cap? 

Maybe the small crew of guys on here always crying about how Watson's contract is going to cripple the Browns like their lame asses have to write the checks themselves can explain how the Browns have more cap space than any other team in the NFL? ?

@dutch-oven said:

The Browns apparently lead the NFL in cap space? 

Yeah l don’t understand what kind of accounting voodoo is going on in the Browns’ front office. It’s like the salary cap is a suggestion. At some point we’re going to have a team full of udfa rookies to pay for this right? 

@ibleedbrown said:

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2024/08/browns-restructure-deshaun-watsons-contract-for-3rd-straight-year-converting-4479m-into-a-bonus.html?outputType=amp
 

Just saw this, Watson’s contract restructured again.

The Browns apparently lead the NFL in cap space? 

Just saw this, Watson’s contract restructured again.

@tiamat63 said:

Winston is a walking turnover machine. 

From your pic, Winston had at least 2 guys wide open.

@dutch-oven said:

maybe DTR has really amazed the coaching staff and front office with his progression from his rookie season to Season 2

Well, he fooled 'em once.   

Honestly, I'm not fond of Watson, the person.  And I do like DTR, the person.  But I'm afraid of what I saw with my own two eyes last year.

Whenever I try to do the same thing and expect a different outcome they call me insane.     (I understand it's not exactly the same in that DTR is not a rookie and perhaps the game HAS slowed down for him)

Despite the fact he could have rolled another step and sailed it flat, he plants and throws back over the middle into double. 

This is pre-season, it doesn't get much more vanilla.  

Winston is a walking turnover machine.  No coach, unless you have no other option, will roll with that.  

@orion said:

If this goes down with Winston getting traded then, essentially, we're doing the same thing we did last year.  Except this year we know that Watson's surgically repaired shoulder could give him soreness issues.  

My little grey cells tell me that Berry has this vision (perhaps a dream) that if Watson, for whatever reason, turns out to be NOT the QB for the future, then DTR possess the abilities that he covets and DTR will transform into the QB that Watson was supposed to be.  

...or he will suck again and we'll be drafting one early.    

You might very well be right, and that would be one bold move.

Not sure I'd do it, but maybe DTR has really amazed the coaching staff and front office with his progression from his rookie season to Season 2. 

My little grey cells tell me that Berry has this vision (perhaps a dream) that if Watson, for whatever reason, turns out to be NOT the QB for the future, then DTR possess the abilities that he covets and DTR will transform into the QB that Watson was supposed to be.  

...or he will suck again and we'll be drafting one early.    

That may still happen, but this strings things out another week or two hoping some team is forced to trade.

They are not Watson or DTR. 

@ap1 said:

Or four...

Obviously we have a team or two who might trade but were waiting for cuts.  Someone will be traded.  Seeing that we only kept one running back I would suspect we have a pretty good idea we can make a player for player trade to get a decent running back.

.

@orion said:

I agree.  But traditionally, the Browns only keep 2 QB's.  And then sign a bum to the PS.  'Perhaps' this year we keep 3.

Or four...

    He's wearing a good QB number for us.....so I hope he stays.   

--------

Just read somewhere that DTR's been told that he's gonna be on the 53 man roster.  

@ballpeen said:

I don't think that would happen. 

I am not as high on DTR as some of you.  He reminds me of Tyrod Taylor or maybe Colt McCoy.  He isn't a Seneca Wallace or Chuck Fry, but he's not the guy you want leading your team.

Add in the fact the general consensus is we can't play him this year, why keep him as a 3rd QB?.  Huntley has proven he at least could take the field this year.  He has done it before.

My question is are we trying to win this year?  The answer is simple IMO.  Trade DTR if the offer is decent.

Oh, let's forget this thought that 3 QB's is excessive.  It's the most important position on the field.  What the hell are we talking about here?

Believe it or not, I like a lot of your points above.  I can't blame anyone for their first impressions of DTR lasting.  Sipe came to us in round 13 because most of the league thought he had a weak arm.  Perhaps that stayed true for the 1st year or 2.  That said, the guy took his professional craft seriously.  Why the comparison of them from me this early?  I saw some throws DTR made in Seattle the other night that he couldn't simply make last year.  I'm not trying to change your opinion, I'm just telling you how I arrived at my feeling.  

@ballpeen said:

Oh, let's forget this thought that 3 QB's is excessive.  It's the most important position on the field.  What the hell are we talking about here?

I agree.  But traditionally, the Browns only keep 2 QB's.  And then sign a bum to the PS.  'Perhaps' this year we keep 3.

@flugel said:

I hope this isn't another one of those "yeah, we can get another one of these very special gotta have 7th round picks for him that we have starting all over on our roster."

I don't think that would happen. 

I am not as high on DTR as some of you.  He reminds me of Tyrod Taylor or maybe Colt McCoy.  He isn't a Seneca Wallace or Chuck Fry, but he's not the guy you want leading your team.

Add in the fact the general consensus is we can't play him this year, why keep him as a 3rd QB?.  Huntley has proven he at least could take the field this year.  He has done it before.

My question is are we trying to win this year?  The answer is simple IMO.  Trade DTR if the offer is decent.

Oh, let's forget this thought that 3 QB's is excessive.  It's the most important position on the field.  What the hell are we talking about here?

@orion said:

If teams are inquiring about DTR then the only way to keep him will be to carry 3 QB's.  

I don't think that keeping less than 3 qbs was ever an option.

@flugel said:

we can get another one of these very special gotta have 7th round picks for him

LOL........yeah, I just don't see the 7th round pick value that Berry does.    On a draft value chart 7th round picks are worth next to nothing.  Maybe Berry wants to replenish the 7th round pick that he traded to the Bears with the DE that had just gotten 2 sacks for a 6th round pick.  

Having said that, the DE (Williams?) wasn't going to make the team (our DE room is currently pretty strong).  So, for a guy who was going to get cut, and not clear waivers, Berry turned a 7th round pick into a 6th...from a team that will hopefully be picking at a higher spot than we would be (hopefully!).  

I wouldn't take less than the round DTR was drafted in for him (5th).  At this point he hasn't tarnished his potential ceiling outlook enough to give him away for peanuts.  But that all depends on what Berry & Stef think of him.  We're not in the meetings, or watching practices.  If they think that he's never going to be much more than a #3 QB...well...he'll be on today's list of cuts...or will get traded for that 'gotta have' 7th round pick.     

I don't think anyone would trade for Huntley.  If I wanted him for my team, I'd wait until after he's cut and take a shot at the waiver wire.  If someone else grabs him, the just wait until they put him on their PS and get him then.   

@orion said:

OK...but what are you going to do with him?  

We have 4 QB's on the team.  Who stays?  Who goes?  

I hope this isn't another one of those "yeah, we can get another one of these very special gotta have 7th round picks for him that we have starting all over on our roster."

If he's a promising 2nd year QB that's showing progress in his mechanics, deep throw accuracy and ability to speed read the progressions - he's an investment worth further nurturing and protection.  

Winston is only here for 1 year while if someone can give me a strong argument that Watson will give us more than 6 starts this time OR Huntley is a better guy to keep than DTR - I'm all eyes and ears...  

The fact that this is probably being strongly being considered up as high as the ownership should assure everyone in here that this OWNERSHIP would have written off a great QB like Josh Allen during the brief, but inevitable growing pains. Yeah, they would have totally F---ed that up. The difference between this franchise and all the other franchises in our division that have participated in Super Bowls is not just the ability to draft the right QB - it's the ability to have the right staff here when you bring in your dream guy.  They didn't even do this for Watson.  They're still trialing and erroring what might work with these new coaches. Last year Musgrave was going to be the final piece of the offensive coaching staff puzzle.  Bernie was the last GREAT QB this franchise drafted but it took a SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT to do that. Next to Bernie, the other fan favorite was 13th round pick Brian Sipe in 1972.  He was on something they called the Taxi Squad (in lieu of practice squad) back in 1972 and 1973.  He had some infrequent game action in 74 and 75. He eventually became the starter in 76.  If THIS owner was here back then, he would have traded Sipe in his 2nd year for another 13th round pick if a little more growth, development and experience was required.  

For God sakes, if we can't decide if a 7th round pick is a better investment than DTR - we're wasting a ton of time on this ownership's product.  I think Heaven above or Divine Intervention is even trying to help here.  What other QB wore #17 on his jersey here?   Is that same QB still the only NFL MVP this franchise has had in the last 50+ years?  Even if my intuition about DTR is wrong - we're not about to see the very best of Winston or Huntley either.  The 1 year contract for Crablegs pretty much means the Browns will have to decide if DTR is worth more than a 7th round pick. Maybe all I really need to do is hope I'm wrong about another QB again...

@orion said:

Vikings Waive New QB, Potentially Make Room For Cleveland Browns QB

Sad because Corral has pretty damn good arm talent... If he could just get his head out of ass he might be something but ,.... It's probably too late