Browns Salary Cap Room 2012

[Sez.EJ]

Our Salary cap for the coming year...I have seen estimates as high as 33 million and as low as 20 million. Either way, we will have some money for some free agents .. Hopefully 2-3 solid starters and a couple guys for depth. There may also be more free agents on the market than currently known as some teams are over the cap, and will have to release some players. The Browns themselves may release some players that don't fit here, and create some cap room in that manner.

On the defensive side, this past year was a feeling out year, to see who fit's the transition from 3-4 to the 4-3 this year.. Guys that don't fit will be cut and that also will free up some room...

On offense they may also chop some guys. . Steinbach will be cut if he cannot come back from his disc injury. Pashos and Watson could be gone due to age.. others on either side just due to lack of performance etc...

We also must consider that we have 11 of OUR OWN free agents.. Some of our cap room will be spent on them.

This is what we know at this time about our own free agents:

Unrestricted free agents

Free safety Mike Adams .... Gotta keep him..won't break the bank
Offensive lineman Oniel Cousins ... could be let go
Kicker Phil Dawson.... gotta keep this guy.. he can still get it done
Offensive lineman John Greco.... could be let go
Offensive lineman Artis Hicks.... could be let go
Running back Peyton Hillis.. Could go either way..
Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.... I think the team definately resigns this guy.. he's not great..but very solid
Punter Brad Maynard..... could go either way.. did a great job this year
Cornerback Dimitri Patterson.... probably resigned
Tight end Alex Smith could go either way.. depends if we keep watson for his final year
Offensive lineman Steve Vallos... could be let go
Restricted free agent
Defensive end Marcus Benard who knows
Exclusive rights free agents
Linebacker Titus Brown.... probably resigned
Wide receiver Jordan Norwood ...probably resigned.. depends on other free agents brough in
Defensive lineman Brian Schaefering.... could go either way

I think we must re-sign Hillis, D'quell, Dawson and Mike Adams.. Those 4 guys definately need to stay.. We cannot lose them, especially when you consider all the other holes we need to fill. You cannot allow 4 more holes to open up. We need to keep these guys and still bring in a couple free agent for the OTHER big holes we have.

I also look at us having FOUR guys on the OL as free agents (Cousins, Grecko, Vallos, and Hicks)... . You cannot allow all 4 of these guys to walk. We have to re-sign some of them for depth or we again create another mess by not having depth.. .. but That being said, I don't ever want to see any of those 4 guys starting on our line.

I want to see us bring in 1-2 free agent WR's.. (but still draft a WR in round 1).. This part of the team needs and enema... it stinks ha ha ha.. We need LB, DE, DT depth, S, RT, and CB.. I know free agency cannot solve all these problems.. the Redskins have proven this for years.. and the Eagles put the exclaimation point on that last year.. but bringing in 2-3 free agent starters is essential. I am guessing of the 11 free agents we have.. 6-8 should be resigned if we want to keep stability of the current roster and then improve ourselves in free agency and the draft.

[hiramb]

I think it will be close 33 million and be bigger once they cut some players. The free agents I want to sign are Jackson, Hillis, Greco, Patterson, maybe Titus Brown, Marcus Bernard. All the others can go.

I want to sign one really good vet WR, One really good DE and backups at OL, TE and LB.

Draft would go:

QB
CB
LB
OL
FS
DE
DT
BPA

[Bronx Cheer]

I honestly can see Adams gone. He plays a middling safety and middling corner. There is a strong possibility they go with Young and Ward starting, with Haag backing up. If we bring in a new CB starter, then we could also have Brown playing nickel, backup FS, and dime S. Plenty of bodies there (Haden, NEWGUY, Skrine/Dockery, Brown, Haag, Young, Ward) and thus no need to break the bank to bring back Adams unless it is for dirt cheap.

DQJ will be resigned, hopefully to play WSLB instead of MLB.

Hillis is gone unless the market completely tanks for his services (still a possibility).

Dawson is a keeper. So are Norwood, Brown, and Alex Smith.

Patterson and Bernard may be prioritized for resigning depending upon the route Heckert plans to take in the draft. I can see them both taking key reserve roles or being jettisoned for youth.

Everyone else is fodder. Not all bad players, but easily replaceable and only resigned to the extent that they come back cheaply.

[Sez.EJ]

Steinbach to become cap-casualty?	02-19-2012
Eric Steinbach G CLE
The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects LG Eric Steinbach to become a cap casualty if he's unwilling to take a paycut. Cleveland Plain Dealer	Steinbach is due $6 million in 2012 and will be coming off season-ending back surgery. The Browns also believe they may have their left guard of the future in 2011 fifth round pick Jason Pinkston. If Steinbach returns at a reduced salary, Cleveland could look to transition Pinkston to right tackle.

If he does not recover 100% from neck surgery.. it's a no brainer he's gone... I think it's unlikely a guy of his age at a position so physical.. will come back from a major neck surgery like that and be anything more than a backup... if he ever plays at all. Stick a fork in him guys.. he's done.

[brownsdownunder]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

If he does not recover 100% from neck surgery.. it's a no brainer he's gone... I think it's unlikely a guy of his age at a position so physical.. will come back from a major neck surgery like that and be anything more than a backup... if he ever plays at all. Stick a fork in him guys.. he's done.

You have to feel for the poor guy, he and Joe Thomas really got it done once upon a time. The addition of Alex Mack only made it that much sweeter.

[Sez.EJ]

He has been one of our best players.. but neck surgery.. We see how Manning struggled with it as a QB.. Imagine thinking about returning to play in the trenches.. I don't think so. He has been the best major free agent signing the team has made. I wish him good health and good luck.. Hey.. maybe he will be healthy.. he's going to have to take a pay cut and fight for a job.. Either way I wish him well. If he plays.. I hope it's here.

[choco]

not sure about pinkston at guard. thought he had issues pulling (maybe lauvao tho?). is it footspeed or a lack of experience thing since he was primarily a tackle?

[Jax Dawg]

Originally Posted by choco

not sure about pinkston at guard. thought he had issues pulling (maybe lauvao tho?). is it footspeed or a lack of experience thing since he was primarily a tackle?

Personally I thought Lauvao was a bigger disappointment than Pinkston. At times Lauvao couldn't even get a hand on his man which just kills an offense. Flugs has pointed out the Polly incident repeatedly but that wasn't the only time he was a human turnstile. I had big hopes for him based on his strong showing in limited action as a rookie.

Pinkston maybe benefitted from being between Mack and Thomas but he just seemed more polished to me. Both of these guys played tackle in college but are probably better suited to guard in the NFL.

[Tobalaz]

Originally Posted by Jax Dawg

Personally I thought Lauvao was a bigger disappointment than Pinkston. At times Lauvao couldn't even get a hand on his man which just kills an offense. Flugs has pointed out the Polly incident repeatedly but that wasn't the only time he was a human turnstile. I had big hopes for him based on his strong showing in limited action as a rookie.

Pinkston maybe benefitted from being between Mack and Thomas but he just seemed more polished to me. Both of these guys played tackle in college but are probably better suited to guard in the NFL.

I believe I recall something about if Lauvao playing center and guard all of his life, him getting put at lt because he was the best lineman on the team, and play at lt dropped his stock, so we "stole" a late 1st early 2nd rounder if he had been projected as a guard and not spent his senior season as a lt.
It makes me all the more disappointed in Lauvao, he's starting to feel like a whiff to me.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

He has been one of our best players.. but neck surgery.. We see how Manning struggled with it as a QB.. Imagine thinking about returning to play in the trenches.. I don't think so. He has been the best major free agent signing the team has made. I wish him good health and good luck.. Hey.. maybe he will be healthy.. he's going to have to take a pay cut and fight for a job.. Either way I wish him well. If he plays.. I hope it's here.

Steinbach was reported to have had back surgery and not neck surgery. In Jan. Heckert said he had talked to Steinbach and he is fully recovered from the surgery and Steinbach fully intends to return next year.

The only problem is are they willing to pay his $6 million salary to have him back. No word on whether he is willing to rework his contract or if the Browns even have asked him to.

It isn't as if they have a problem with cap space, If he is healthy I'd love to have him back. Pinkston and Lauvalo can compete for the RG position or maybe work Pinkston out at RT. One of the big problems with the Browns running game last year was the guards inability to pull and get to the second level. I actually think the the RT play was better then the guard play. I saw a lot of push up the middle flushing McCoy and stuffing runs. Of course, the RT play was pretty bad also.

Point is, why wouldn't you want to sigh Steinbach if he is healthy? Bringing in a top FA will cost just as much.


That said........................you can't let the little depth we have walk in FA. For every guy that you don't resign you have to replace them with a draft pick or FA. I'd try to keep all the below unless I knew we could replace them with someone more competitive.

Hillis - unless you have a better plan or he wants to walk you try to resign him.
Adams - depth in defensive backfield and good special teamer
Jackson - starter at MLB or WSLB depending on what they do in the draft.
Paterson - at the very least, he is a good nickle back and plays special teams well
Vallos - you need depth on the OL and he's a decent backup at guard and center for the NFL minimum.
Smith - do we even know if Watson will be back. Smith is a nice 3rd TE that can block well and brings a bit of nastyness
Bernard - If he is healthy and in shape I don't want to let a guy walk that has proved he can rush the passer
Brown - if you don't have a better option he plays hard and is a good backup. Can he stay healthy, that's the question
Norwood - unless you have someone to replace him, I bring him back before MoMass
Schaefering - Why not, he played hard and is a what you are looking for as a backup.

Not saying you got to spend millions on some of these guys but they do fill out a 53 man roster and all have value.

[Riffer X]

Originally Posted by Tobalaz

I believe I recall something about if Lauvao playing center and guard all of his life, him getting put at lt because he was the best lineman on the team, and play at lt dropped his stock, so we "stole" a late 1st early 2nd rounder if he had been projected as a guard and not spent his senior season as a lt.
It makes me all the more disappointed in Lauvao, he's starting to feel like a whiff to me.

He's a fucking dumbass too. He can play, but he has to get the mental part down.