Free Agency: Simulator Proves Difficult Negotiations Ahead For Browns

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Let’s think about sports again and not focus on Coronavirus. NFL free agency and the draft are expected to start on time. The Browns currently have the seventh most cap space in the NFL with $61,964,940. The team will likely release Olivier Vernon. If that happens, the Browns will have $85,248,193 in total cap space. Cleveland should be a big spender in free agency.

According to the Fanspeak cap space simulator, re-signing wide receiver Rashard Higgins will prove to be difficult. Offering a $7 million salary for seven years and 80% guaranteed money will result in a rejection. Don’t expect the Browns to keep Higgins unless they offer a contract worth at least $7.5 million a year for 5-7 years. Even attempting to resign cornerback Phillip Gaines to a $49 million for 7 years with 90% guaranteed money is impossible. Based on that data, the remaining Browns free agents will be on the free agency market.

Offers

Byron Jones- Eagles CB

$15 million a year

seven Years

95% guaranteed

Devin Funchess Panthers Wide Receiver

$8.5 million a year

seven Years

95% guaranteed

Halapouivaati Vitai- OT- Philadelphia Eagles

$9 Million year

seven years

95% guaranteed

Jason Peters-OT- Philadelphia Eagles

$11 million a year

two years

90% guaranteed

Arik Armstead- DE- San Francisco 49ers

$16 Million a year

seven years

95% guaranteed

Linebacker Danny Trevathan

$10.5 Million

four years

90% guaranteed

Funchess, Jones, Peters, Armstead, Trevathan, and Vitai all declined offers according to the simulator. Vitai opted for the three year deal with the Carolina Panthers for 6,400,000 a year. As you can see, this free agency period could be difficult for the Browns as they have to pay even more that these offers. It was time to go back to the drawing board and try this again from day one.

Byron Jones- CB-Dallas Cowboys

$20 million a year

five years

95% guaranteed

Devin Funchess- Wide Receiver- Carolina Panthers

$9.5 million a year

seven years

95% guaranteed

Danny Trevathan-Linebacker- Denver Broncos

$15 million a year

three years

95% guaranteed

Jason Peters-OT- Philadelphia Eagles

$16 million a year

two years

100% guaranteed

Bryan Bulaga- OT-Green Bay Packers

$16 million a year

five years

100% guaranteed

Arik Armstead-DE- San Francisco 49ers

$18 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

All of these offers were declined in the simulator. Here is another attempt.

Byron Jones- CB- Dallas Cowboys

$25 million a year

five years

100 % guaranteed

Arik Armstead- DE- San Francisco 49ers

$26 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

Sean Lee- LB- Dallas Cowboys

$15 million a year

four years

95% guaranteed

Jack Conklin- OT- Tennessee Titans

$28 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

These offers were declined.

Onto the second day of free agency!

Byron Jones- CB- Dallas Cowboys

$30 million a year

seven years

$100 guaranteed

Linebacker Blake Martinez-LB- Green Bay Packers

$25 million a year

seven years

95% guaranteed

Jack Conklin OT- Tennessee Titans

$30 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

Conklin rejected the offer and signed for three years, 14,600,000 per year with the Bills. All other offers including the one still available to Armstead were rejected.

Onto day three!

Byron Jones-CB- Dallas Cowboys

$30 million a year

three years

100% guaranteed

Chris Harris- CB- Denver Broncos

$25 million a year

three years

95% guaranteed

Byron Jones declined the offer and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for three years, 15,600,000 a year. Chris Harris declined the offer. According to the simulator, these unreal salaries aren’t enough to lure the top free agents to Cleveland. Onto day four!

Jimmie Ward- CB- San Francisco 49ers

$8.5 million a year

five years

95% guaranteed

Ward declined the offer.

Instead of going for the top names, it was time to offer middle-tier free agents realistic deals and maybe a few top free agents bigger deals.

Matt Kalil- OT- Carolina Panthers

$9 million per year

four years

65% guaranteed

Demar Dotson-OT- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

$8.5 million a year

two years

95% guaranteed

Kendall Fuller- CB- Chicago Bears

$10 million per year

four years

70% guaranteed

Bud Dupree- DE- Pittsburgh Steelers

$11 million a year

seven years

80% guaranteed

Kevin White- WR- Arizona Cardinals

$6.5 million

three years

70% guaranteed

Robby Anderson- WR- New York Jets

$15 million

seven years

95% guaranteed

All of these offers were declined as well.

Onto day two, again!

Matt Kalil- OT- Carolina Panthers

$10.5 million a year

three years

95% guaranteed

Demar Dotson- OT- Tampa Bay Buccaneers-

$12 million a year

two years

95% guaranteed

Bud Dupree- Defensive End- Pittsburgh Steelers

$15 million a year

five years

90% guaranteed

Kendell Fuller- CB- Chicago Bears

$11.5 million a year

five years

95% guaranteed

Robby Anderson- WR- New York Jets

$15.5 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

Anthony Harris- S- Minnesota Vikings

$16 million a year

five years

95% guaranteed

Everson Griffen- DE- Minnesota Vikings

$13 million a year

two years

95% guaranteed

This time, progress was made. Everson Griffen accepted the two-year deal. Unfortunately, Kendell Fuller signed with the New York Jets for five years, $10,600,000 per year. All other offers were declined.

Onto day three!

Everson Griffen- Signed

Demar Dotson- OT- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

$14 million a year

two years

95% guaranteed

Matt Kalil- OT- Carolina Panthers

$14 million a year

three years

95% guaranteed

Anthony Harris- S- Minnesota Vikings

$18 million a year

five years

100% guaranteed

Robby Anderson- WR- New York Jets

$17 million a year

seven years

100% guaranteed

Devin Funchess- WR- Carolina Panthers

$11 million a year

five years

95% guaranteed

Andrus Peat- G- New Orleans Saints

$13 million a year

seven years

95% guaranteed

Robby Anderson declined the offer and signed with the Indianapolis Colts for four years, $10,400,000 per year. Demar Dotson declined the offer and signed with the Arizona Cardinals for years, $9,900,000. All other remaining offers were declined.

Onto day four

Andrus Peat-G-New Orleans Saints

$14 million a year

four years

95% guaranteed

Anthony Harris

$18.5 million a year

three years

100% guaranteed

Richard Sherman- CB- San Francisco 49ers

$13 million a year

two years

95% guaranteed

All offers were declined

A few things were made clear by these simulations.

1. The Browns may have the space to sign just about anyone but overpaying by leaps and bounds won’t result in signings.

2. Most free agents will look for deals between two to five years. Six to seven-year deals will result in rejected offers.

3. Most top players will sign deals worth between $10-18 million

4. Although reports link top-name free agents like Jack Conklin and Anthony Harris to the Browns, these players will be next to impossible to sign unless General Manager Andrew Berry sells them on team vision and role on the team.

Although the simulator predicted most deals were rejected, this gives the fans, media, and front office personnel a better idea of what to expect as well as prepare for.