The Cleveland Browns need to get under the salary cap.
GM Andrew Berry discussed this as a point of emphasis ahead of the offseason, which means they will have to be very creative.
With that in mind, NFL analyst ‘Chopz’ asked lifelong Browns insider Tony Grossi whether he thought the Browns would ask some players to take pay cuts.
Talking on ESPN Cleveland, Grossi confirmed that was a possibility.
He stated that those players whose contracts didn’t include guarantees for the future would most likely be asked to take pay cuts.
Otherwise, they might be released.
Grossi states that two offensive linemen, Jack Conklin and Joel Bitonio, fit that bill.
Notably, Conklin has been rumored to be a cut candidate because of his big potential cap hit, and many fans and analysts believe the team will likely part ways with him regardless.
Then again, with the uncertainty around left tackle and Dawand Jones dealing with an injury late last season, perhaps they’ll look to keep the veteran tackle around, provided the price is right.
As for Bitonio, he’s still one of the best offensive guards in the game, but he’s not getting any younger.
He hinted at potentially retiring after the season, and that would be a massive blow to the offensive line.
However, even if does come back for another season, they will likely expect him to accept less money in what could be his final season in the league.
Whether he’s going to agree to leave money on the table and run it back for another season remains to be seen.
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