breaking news: browns key player is back..

A one-game playoff run was not what the Cleveland Browns had hoped for after finishing 11-6 regular season, but it was still a significant accomplishment. They overcome some major injuries on both sides of the ball, but their offense was hurt the hardest. They lost Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson, and Jack Conklin.

Cleveland continued to fight and find a way to win, even winning four straight to secure a playoff position. The fact that they won with reserves should give them confidence moving forward. Nonetheless, they’ll need to plug a few gaps and find some game changers on offense.

That’s easier said than done given the Browns’ limited resources. Not only are they lacking a first-round pick yet again, but they are also about $17 million over the cap heading into the offseason. With that said, let’s take a look at four contracts that are now holding the franchise back.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger fan of Amari Cooper than this writer, but that doesn’t mean his contract isn’t in jeopardy moving into 2024. Cooper has the second-highest cap figure on the club, at $23.77 million. That puts him ahead of Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett, who are both younger – Garrett is a perennial candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Cooper, the only player in Cleveland history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, is a valuable asset. He’s amassed 2,410 yards on 150 receptions despite uneven quarterback play, but he’ll be 30 next year and has some injury worries.

In 2023, he missed Weeks 17 and 18, albeit Week 18 was a meaningless game with many starters sitting. Then, in the playoffs, he finished with just 59 yards on four receptions because he was visibly injured. As terrific as Cooper is, Browns fans should remember how quickly Jarvis Landry’s performance deteriorated when he began to get injured.

This is not to imply that Cooper should be cut, but they should do everything they can to rework his contract. They’ll never be able to fix his offensive weaponry despite paying him over $24 million.