May 22, 2013

PFT: Browns have 4th most cap space available

Pro Football Talk does a good job of keeping tabs on how much salary cap space each team has available throughout the off-season. According to their latest information as of June 22nd, the Browns have the fourth most cap space available.

Jaguars: $25.1 million.

Titans: $19.97 million.

Eagles: $18.02 million.

Browns: $17.7 million.

Bengals: $16.58 million.

Chiefs: $16.54 million.

Buccaneers: $15.74 million.

Colts: $14.59 million.

Packers: $11.25 million.

Patriots: $10.93 million.

Most recently Mike Holmgren intimated that the Browns made offers to more than one receiver in free agency, but were outbid. Presumably those two receivers were Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon, both signed by the Washington Redskins.

Regardless, the Browns have plenty of money if any desirable players get cut during training camp this season. And while it doesn’t appear like Percy Harvin is leaving Minnesota in trade, if another player becomes available in the trade market who is looking for a richer deal, the Browns should have the capability to entertain the option.

Also, as pointed out to me on Twitter, this doesn’t include the deals that we know will be coming for Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden, not to mention any other players who get locked up long term.

[Related: NFL Rookie Symposium Begins Sunday In Aurora]

Braylon Edwards is still available

As Mike Holmgren came out front to talk about the Browns last week, he was asked frequently about the Browns and how they feel about their wide receivers. Out of one side of his mouth, Holmgren proclaimed his love for Mohamed Massaquoi and stated his expectations of the receiver are high. Out of the other side of his mouth, he indicated (without using any specific names) that the Browns made bids for receivers like Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, but were drastically outbid in free agency.

If they ever had Braylon Edwards somewhere deep on their list of backup plans for the position, there’s no need to remove him from that list yet.

The Jets have apparently closed the door on Braylon Edwards coming back.

The New York Post reported that they Jets have ruled it out, opting to go with a group of younger wideouts.

Edwards caught just 15 passes for 181 yards in nine games with San Francisco last year, as he was slowed by knee and shoulder injuries. The 49ers released him before the end of the regular season, and some thought the Jets were a logical landing spot.

You might think that the Browns would be a logical landing spot too considering the problems they’ve had at receiver in the past. Of course Browns fans, who have clamored for every receiver under the sun including Lee Evans, have been talking about Edwards a bit here and there. Still, there is no actual indication that the Browns have any interest bringing him back.

I am not sure whether that says more about Edwards or Travis Benjamin and Josh Cooper.

[Related: Mike Holmgren changes Browns public relations course]