As the Cleveland Browns and Baker Mayfield face the possibility of a big-money extension, there has been concern about what it could do to the rest of the roster. A commonly held thought is that a team can’t pay their quarterback top dollar while also spending a lot of money to keep their roster together.
The logic is solid if the NFL worked like a standard checking account. In that case, if I have X amount of dollars and spend Y amount of dollars then all I have left is X – Y amount of dollars.
The NFL salary cap does not work like a standard checking account and, instead, is full of all kinds of rules, loopholes and details. All of the nuances and variables are why most teams employ someone who solely focuses on the salary cap and how to work with it.
Currently, the Browns have Mayfield under contract with a cap number of just under $11 million for 2021. That number jumps up to just under $19 million in 2022 if there is no extension. Due to the gradual increase in contracts, Mayfield’s total value as the #1 overall pick in 2018 is less than the total value of Trey Lance’s contract as the #3 overall pick in 2021.
As fans ponder what it could mean to Cleveland if the team were to sign Mayfield to a similar contract to what Dak Prescott and Deshaun Watson have signed, Over the Cap chimed in with this chart:
A quick glance shows that teams with a lot of money tied up in their quarterbacks in 2021 have also spent a lot of money on the rest of their roster. Kansas City, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Los Angeles Rams all made the playoffs last year and will pay their quarterbacks and their rosters big money.
Houston and Dallas have talented young quarterbacks but have underachieved despite spending a lot of money to add talent around Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott.
Cleveland joins New Orleans and Tampa Bay in 2021 in spending top dollar on their roster around their quarterbacks. The Bucs signed Tom Brady to a reasonable contract while the Saints will have to figure things out without Drew Brees.
Over the Cap noted in their piece:
The way I would read this is that teams in the top right quadrant have expensive QBs and are investing a lot in the rest of their roster despite what is being spent on the QB. Those in the bottom right are relying heavily on rookie talent and/or are relying on the QB to push them over the top. The top left are the teams with lower cost QB situations and trying to surround their teams with as much talent as possible. Those in the bottom left have cheap QB rooms but are being more cautious with their spending on the rest of the roster.
The nuances of the salary cap allow for a lot of creativity but the 2021 season seems to debunk the myth that the Browns won’t be able to pay Mayfield on a big extension while also spending on the roster around him. The details could make it difficult but the opportunity is there for both to happen in the future. If the teams in the top right quadrant can do it, so can the Browns.