The Cleveland Browns have restructured cornerback Denzel Ward’s contract. Prior to this, the Browns had restructured quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract to free up $36 million in salary space.
The move was a minor reorganization that created $2 million in cap space. That brings the Browns’ expenses to about $30 million before the NFL free agency period begins Monday.
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Had the Browns restructured Ward’s entire base salary, they could have cleared a full $15 million. However, the team chose to convert only a small portion of that, converting the $2 million from base salary to bonuses. Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald was the first to break the news about Cleveland’s latest contract restructuring.
It also puts an end to any silly trade rumors involving Ward.
Why don’t the Browns restructure Ward’s entire base salary?
This is a very good question. The author speculates that the Browns will do this. Instead, they opted for a mini-reorganization. Browns fans asked the same question on social media, and Over the Cap’s Fitzgerald had an answer that checked a lot of boxes.
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When asked why the Browns would retool only a small part of the roster, Fitzgerald responded that the team might consider extending Ward in the near future.
Combined, Ward only has one year left on his contract with the Browns after the 2026 season. If his performance continues as strong as it has been over the past five years, the Browns will have no choice but to re-sign Ward to keep one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks on the team.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns restructure Denzel Ward’s contract; creating more cap space