The more than 60 players who opted out of playing in 2020 around the NFL changed the salary cap landscape quite a bit. When factoring in the opt-outs, which defers the scheduled 2020 contract to 2021 other than guaranteed bonuses, many teams picked up some extra cap room for this season.
The Browns did that, notably with players like Andrew Billings and Colby Gossett. In doing so, Cleveland remains atop the NFL pack in terms of salary cap room in 2020.
The Browns still have a slight edge over the New England Patriots, who had a league-high eight players opt out due to COVID-19 concerns. Per Spotrac, Cleveland has $38.89 million available. New England sits second at $36.56 million, followed by Denver, Washington and the New York Jets. Tampa Bay has the least, with barely $1 million in available cap room.
Having the cap room doesn’t necessarily equate with spending it. GM Andrew Berry and the Browns could opt to roll over the extra room to 2021, when the league’s salary cap is expected to plunge due to lost revenue. Having those extra cap funds could help the Browns navigate the stormy financial seas in the coming year.
