A breakdown of the top five Cleveland Browns contracts most at risk under Todd Monken, using cap impact and roster context to explain who could be on the move.
The Cleveland Browns decided to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski after 6 seasons with the team. Stefanski brought stability to Cleveland for a team that has been ripe with mediocrity. Stefanski led the Browns to the playoffs in both 2020 and 2023, winning the AP NFL Coach of the Year award in each season. Stefanski ended up finishing with an overall record of 45-56.
The Browns opted to keep Andrew Berry as the general manager, who has been with the team since he took the position in 2020. From the outside looking in, the hiring process for their next coach was very chaotic. There was much speculation that in order to retain defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, they would have to end up promoting him to head coach. In the end, the Browns decided on hiring former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to be their next head coach.
Todd Monken has been the OC for the Ravens since 2023, and during his tenure, the Ravens have been very successful on offense. In the 2024 season, they set a season record for the most yards in franchise history with 7,224 total yards. This last season, they ranked 27th in passing, 2nd in rushing, and 11th in total points. Monken has a wealth of experience as an offensive coordinator and play caller at 6 different stints at the college and NFL level. The news of Monken getting the job surprised many, as Monken was not a name being considered by any other team in this coaching cycle.
The Browns have been in a downward spiral the past two years, and they really need a jumpstart to get this franchise back on track. One of the contributing factors to their free fall is the utter failure of the Deshaun Watson experience. Not only has he performed very badly on the field, but they lost a ton of draft capital to acquire him, and his contract is a huge albatross on the team's salary cap.
According to Spotrac, the Browns enter this upcoming offseason with -$19.5 million in cap space. That is hard to believe considering their combined record of 8-26 over the past two years, but they have large contracts with Deshaun Watson, Myles Garrett, and Denzel Ward. Below are four players most likely not to be on the roster next season, along with one surprise name you may not expect.
TE David Njoku was drafted by the Browns in the 1st round (29th overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft. He later signed a 4 year $56.7 million contract extension in May 2022 with $28 million guaranteed. Njoku has been one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL, but this past season, his performance fell off due to the emergence of rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
This past season, Njoku accounted for 48 targets, 33 receptions, 293 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns in 12 games played. He was overshadowed by Fannin Jr. who accounted for 107 targets, 72 receptions, 731 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns.
This offseason, David Njoku will be a free agent. Even though the Browns are scheduled to be over the cap, if they really want to keep Njoku, they can always restructure Deshaun Watson’s contract again to create cap space to sign him. Todd Monken has consistently featured tight ends in his offensive system, finding success at Georgia with Brock Bowers and in Baltimore with the combination of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
Because of Harold Fannin Jr., Njoku is expendable. Njoku will be 30 years old this upcoming season and is a 9 year veteran. I expect the Browns to make Fannin Jr. the focal point of their offense and allow Njoku to test the market in free agency.
Cedric Tillman was drafted by the Browns in the 3rd round (74th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Tillman has been a disappointment for the Browns after failing to exceed over 30 receptions, 400 yards, or 4 touchdowns. He has been unable to play a full season, missing multiple games in each of his first three NFL seasons.
Tillman is now entering the final year of his rookie deal. Does he fit Todd Monken’s system? Do the Browns intend to re-sign Tillman next offseason? If they feel Tillman does not fit their long-term plans, they could opt to trade him for late-round draft capital as they rebuild this roster into Monken's image. According to Spotrac, his cap hit for the 2026 season is scheduled to be $3.9 million. If the Browns were to trade Tillman, they would save $3.7 million in cap space. The Browns could elect to trade Tillman versus letting Tillman walk for nothing the following offseason. In our contract risk meter tool, we list Tillman as a medium risk.
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah was drafted by the Browns in the 2nd round (52nd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. Back in August 2024, he agreed to a 3 year contract extension worth up to about $39 million, with roughly $25 million guaranteed. Owusu-Koromoah was living up to that contract until week 8 of the 2024 season when he suffered a serious neck injury. He did not return to the 2024 season, and the injury was severe enough that the Browns placed him on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list in May 2025, sidelining him for the entire 2025 season.
As of the most recent reports, we are still unsure of Owusu-Koromoah’s status for the 2026 season and beyond. According to Spotrac, if they were to release him with a post-June 1st designation, they would lose an additional $2.6 million. The Browns would not save any money cutting or trading him, which leaves us speculating on what could happen with Owusu-Koromoah. I expect the Browns to reach some sort of injury settlement in a release, or he announces his retirement from the NFL. In our contract risk meter tool, we list Owusu-Koromoah as a medium risk.
CB Denzel Ward was drafted by the Browns in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. In April 2022, he agreed to a 5 year contract extension worth about $100.5 million, which included a whopping $71.2 million in guaranteed money. Ward has been a cornerstone player for the Browns in his 8 years with the franchise.
According to Spotrac, if the Browns released Ward prior to June 1st they would lose $3.2 million. If he were to be released with a Post June-1st designation, the Browns would save $19.9 million. Ward will be 29 years old this upcoming season and has 2 years remaining on his contract. It is looking likely that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be back with the team after the team overlooked him for the head coach position. In order for the Browns to save some cap space, they may opt to release the seasoned veteran and look to replace him with someone younger and cheaper. Based on our contract risk meter tool, we list Ward as a medium risk.
In March of 2024, the Browns acquired WR Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos for a 2024 5th-round pick and a 2024 6th-round pick. The Browns were desperate for a #1 WR, and they were hoping that Jeudy could be that guy. After trading for Jeudy, the Browns rewarded him with a contract extension. He signed a contract extension for 3 years $52.5 million, including $41 million guaranteed.
On its face, it wouldn’t make any sense for Jeudy to be traded after the Browns gave up draft capital to acquire him and gave him an expensive contract. Since Jeudy has been acquired, he started off hot, but in 2025, he fell off. In 2024, he recorded 145 targets, 90 receptions, 1,229 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns in 17 games played. In 2025, he recorded 106 targets, 50 receptions, 602 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns in 17 games played.
According to Spotrac, Jeudy has a cap hit of $13.4 million, and if the Browns were to trade him, they would save $6.3 million. Jeudy is entering the final year of his contract, and if Monken does not believe in Jeudy, they may opt to get a return for him. Based on our contract risk meter tool, we list Jeudy as a medium risk.
These past two seasons have been difficult for the Browns after seeing signs of life with Kevin Stefanski’s early years as the head coach. But that pales in comparison to the drought that they endured before Stefanski’s arrival. Stefanski’s 2020 season marked the Browns’ first playoff appearance since 2002, ending an 18-year postseason drought. In some ways, it feels short-sighted to fire a two-time AP Coach of the Year who helped the Browns reach the playoffs twice during his tenure.
Nevertheless, owner Jimmy Haslam’s desire for immediate success appears to have fueled a growing sense of impatience. While Todd Monken has found success as an offensive coordinator, uncertainty at quarterback looms large for the Browns. Will they back Shedeur Sanders, whom Todd Monken has publicly said he wanted the Ravens to draft? Can Deshaun Watson revive his career in a make-or-break season during the final year of his contract?
Cleveland has repeatedly kicked the salary cap can down the road, leaving behind a multi-year outlook filled with costly void years. In 2026 alone, $63.2 million in Browns void-year money is scheduled to accelerate unless the team re-signs those players to carry the proration forward, or designates two of them as Post-June 1 releases. Andrew Berry will have his work cut out for him as he navigates incoming void-year charges alongside a projected cap deficit of $19.5 million. To make matters worse, the Browns are scheduled to absorb roughly $50 million in void-year charges from Deshaun Watson alone in 2027 if the contract is not restructured even further this offseason.
Want to see which players face contract risk across the rest of the NFL? Check out our contract risk meter tool and keep an eye out for our upcoming series breaking down teams undergoing front-office changes.
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