Browns Willing To Increase Offer To Jadeveon Clowney?

The Browns continue to put in work on the Jadeveon Clowney front. In addition to the team talking with Clowney’s agent — amid Myles Garrett extension talks, with Bus Cook representing both players — it appears the Browns would be willing to increase their offer.

Cleveland’s previous offer to Clowney came in around the $12MM-per-year range. The Browns would sign off on paying the former No. 1 overall pick in the $15MM neighborhood on a one-year deal, Albert Breer of SI.com notes.

Clowney is believed to have received an offer around $15MM AAV from the Seahawks. The three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher dropped his asking price from around $20MM per year to the $17-$18MM-AAV range early in free agency but has remained on the market for several weeks since.

As of Monday, the Browns hold an NFL-most $37MM in cap space — well north of the Seahawks’ $13.9MM — and could outmuscle the Hawks for Clowney if they chose to. The Browns have been connected to Clowney for over two months. Should the Browns land Clowney, they would likely create more cap space by parting ways with Olivier Vernon. The latter is set to earn a Browns-most $15.25MM in 2020 base salary, which is currently non-guaranteed.

While a $15MM payment would be almost a middle-class edge rusher deal this year, with 17 edge defenders earning that on average, a one-year deal would allow Clowney a chance to re-enter the market at 28 during what could well be a more normal 2021 offseason.

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