The release of D'Qwell Jackson leads a wandering mind to wonder: What players will cost the Cleveland Browns the most money this season?
Here they are, in terms of their cash cost, which equals base salary plus any bonuses.
LT Joe Thomas, $11.1 million (includes $200,000 workout bonus)
LB Paul Kruger, $7 million
CB Joe Haden, $6.878 million ($200,000 workout bonus)
DL Ahtyba Rubin, $6.8 million ($200,000 workout bonus)
QB Jason Campbell, $3.25 million ($325,000 roster bonus)
WR Davone Bess, $3.067 million
DL Desmond Bryant, $3.0 million
OG John Greco, $2.43 million ($1.7 million roster bonus)
DL Phil Taylor, $1.478 million ($728,625 roster bonus)
CB Buster Skrine, $1.389 million
TE Jordan Cameron, $1.389 million
OG Jason Pinkston, $1.389 million
A few thoughts:
Yes, Paul Kruger is indeed the second-highest paid player on the team.
Kruger’s base salary is the fourth highest among linebackers in the league, behind only St. Louis’ James Laurinaitis ($10 million), Jacksonville’s Paul Posluszny ($7.45 million) and Pittsburgh’s LaMarr Woodley ($8 million).
Yes, Campbell ranks fifth on the Browns. And Bess sixth.
Sigh.
It will be shocking if either Campbell or Bess is with the team in 2014.
Four of the top seven highest paid were signed in the Joe Banner-Mike Lombardi era: Kruger, Bess, Campbell and Bryant.
Greco’s $1.7 million roster bonus is due the fifth day of the league year, which would be March 16.
Thomas has the highest base salary ($10.9 million) among the league’s offensive linemen, and his cash cost for 2014 ranks second among linemen to Philadelphia’s Jason Peters’ $12 million. The contract extension Thomas signed in 2011 included $29.5 million in guaranteed money.
ProFootballTalk.com reported that Rubin could be on the cut list due to his salary. We’ll see.
Here are the 10 most expensive Browns as they fall under the salary cap, with prorated signing bonuses included in the calculations:
Thomas, $12.3 million
Haden, $8.9 million
Kruger, $8.2 million
Rubin, $8.175 million
Bryant, $4 million
LB Barkevious Mingo, $3.715 million
Taylor, $2.575 million
Grego, $2.43 million
QB Brandon Weeden, $2.204 million
Campbell, $3.25 million
