Cleveland Browns Release Safety Juan Thornhill After Two Seasons

The Cleveland Browns have officially released safety Juan Thornhill as part of their effort to navigate a challenging salary cap situation, being $24 million over the cap. Thornhill's departure was executed under a post-June 1 cut designation, allowing the team to save $3.4 million in cap space while incurring a total dead cap hit of $8.952 million over the next two years. Throughout his two seasons with the Browns, Thornhill struggled with injuries and inconsistent performance, recording 103 tackles and four pass deflections in 22 games. His release comes after discussions between the team and his camp, providing him time to seek new opportunities before free agency begins. The Browns now face a significant gap at free safety, with Ronnie Hickman likely stepping into a more prominent role. Thornhill, a two-time Super Bowl champion, will look to revitalize his career elsewhere after an underwhelming stint in Cleveland.