There has been a lot of contract extension talk surrounding the Cleveland Browns recently:
- There has been a report about Baker Mayfield getting an extension soon.
- There are also talks regarding Nick Chubb and Denzel Ward.
- Wyatt Teller’s extension should also be one of the main priorities soon.
As we head into the 2021 season, there is a lot of salary cap talk.
In February, it was announced that the 2021 salary cap figure would be approximately $180 million, which was a drop from 2020.
Then in May, there was the fortunate announcement that there will be a large increase in the salary cap heading into the 2022 season: $208 million.
While that number is not official yet, it is a good sign for the NFL and a contending team like the Browns.
So, who are the two Browns not getting enough attention who deserve extensions?
1. Jamie Gillan
Punter Jamie Gillan, who turns 24 years old on July 4, will become a restricted free agent after the 2021 season.
The Scottish Hammer’s cap hit is $853,334 for the upcoming season.
It would be great to see him in Cleveland for the long term.
He made the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team in 2019.
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff product punted just 51 times in 2020, which is tied for 23rd among punters.
Here was his first punt of last season:
First punt of the season for my dude @ScottishHammer7✊🏾 Heck of a boot. #Browns pic.twitter.com/1pVYllBxa8
— Gabe McDonald (@GabeMcDonald_) September 13, 2020
Now that would be a great way for him to start the 2021 season as well.
He had just three touchbacks during the entirety of last year.
However, he did allow the 12th-most return yards, and his net average yards per punt were low.
The positives seem to outweigh the negatives though with him.
He is a very well-liked player who should be ready to take the next step as the team’s punter this year.
He even has this in his arsenal:
The Scottish Hammer with the wild drop kick 👀👀 @ScottishHammer7 pic.twitter.com/aylFu1ClfJ
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 27, 2019
It would be a good thing if the Browns can bring back Gillan.
2. Chris Hubbard
Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the football, the Browns are hoping to get a healthy Chris Hubbard back:
#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said OL Chris Hubbard is hitting all benchmarks in his rehab from knee surgery in December so we’ll see if he’s ready for training camp
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) June 16, 2021
He sustained a season-ending knee injury in December.
In 2018, the Browns signed the former Pittsburgh Steeler to a five-year, $37.5 million contract.
Even after playing just 11 games and 290 snaps in 2020, Pro Football Focus gave him the impressive overall grade of 71.9.
That bodes well for the Browns, who hope to have him back on the practice field very soon.
Unfortunately, a drawback could be that Hubbard may be already past his prime.
On April 23, he turned 30 years old.
If the injury bug caught him in 2020, maybe more injuries can happen in the future.
All in all, once again the positives outweigh the negatives here for a Hubbard extension, albeit a short one.
Hubbard’s cap hit is $4,961,755 in 2021, and he is an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Prior to the 2020 season, Hubbard agreed to restructure his contract as the backup offensive tackle.
Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills Jr. are commanding the tackle positions heading into 2021 as well.
Depth is a nice thing to have, and if the Browns can get him at a value, an extension is worth looking into with Hubbard.
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