The Cleveland Browns have become quite famous for how they have manipulated the cap with void years, and in the future, they will start charging toward their salary cap. However, dead cap is also a part of the player acquisition and contract game in free agency, and unfortunately, that leads to teams paying the debt of players years after they leave the team. That is the case with the Browns and tight end Austin Hooper.
While Hooper has not been a member of the Browns since the 2021 season, the Browns are still on the hook for a chunk of dead cap from his deal. All-in-all, the Browns are in the bottom ten in dead cap owed, managing their books well. They owe just over $10 million in dead cap this season, and here is how it breaks down.
TE Austin Hooper
Dead Cap charge: $7.5 million
The Austin Hooper experience did not pan out. However, given his post-June 1 cut a year ago, the Browns were able to spread his dead money over two years. The Browns will pay out the rest of that dead money from Hooper’s release in 2023.
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
Dead cap charge: $2.372 million
Walker Jr.’s 2022 one-year deal included a void year to push part of his bonus into the 2023 season. The Browns are paying him both his 2022 bonus that was charged as a void year, and his 2023 salary from this year’s one-year deal.
RB Tre Harbison III
Dead cap charge: $236,000
Don’t ask me how an undrafted free agent in 2021 is still on the books.
S Richard LeCounte III
Dead cap charge: $148,292
There are no consequences to drafting and cutting players on Day 3 of the NFL draft. The Browns owe less than $150,000 in dead money for parting with 2021 sixth rounder Richard LeCounte III.
