Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has never been shy about spending money on his team.
His team consistently spends more than any other when adding non-salary cap expenditures.
It should be no surprise then to find out that the Browns are atop an NFL spending list.
But SharpFootballAnalysis.com’s Warren Sharp’s recent post reveals a surprising emphasis, in which Cleveland GM Andrew Berry spends Haslam’s cash (via Warren Sharp on Twitter).
Most expensive offenses in 2024:
1. $188.8M – Browns
2. $178.1M – Rams
3. $158.3M – Cowboys
4. $152.8M – Chiefs
5. $151.1M – Broncos
6. $148.5M – Giants
7. $146.5M – Cardinals
8. $141.6M – Falcons
9. $138.5M – 49ers
10. $135.9M – Colts
11. $135.2M – Panthers
12. $133.0M – Saints…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 22, 2024
Cleveland currently tops the NFL in spending on offensive players, based on 2024 salary cap hits.
With a total allowable cap of $255 million, the Browns have $188 million tabbed for the offense.
Berry’s current roster includes eight players with cap hits over $10 million.
Six of those players line up in the offense, topped by quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson is only the sixth-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL when it comes to average annual salary.
But his $64 million salary cap hit is $8.5 million more than the next-highest player, which is Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
The franchise quarterback’s deal ties up 22 percent of the Browns’ total cap space this year.
And his cap hit almost matches the $68 million that the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently paying their entire offense.
According to Spotrac, the Browns barely have enough cap space to sign their 2024 draft class.
But the $188 million cited by Sharp does not even include the last four free agents signed by Cleveland.
Berry undoubtedly has to clear some cap space sooner rather than later.
Moving salaries to bonuses defers cap hits, but the Browns’ general manager could also move or renegotiate a few contracts.
NEXT: Analyst Says Browns Have The ‘Most Under-Told Story’ Of The Offseason