Cleveland Browns Gain $9.8M Salary Cap Relief for 2025

The Cleveland Browns have significantly improved their salary cap situation for the 2025 season through strategic use of post-June 1 designations on released players Dalvin Tomlinson and Juan Thornhill, freeing up approximately $10 million in cap space. Tomlinson's cap hit was reduced from $11.54 million to $5.04 million for 2025, while Thornhill's decreased from $5.864 million to $2.284 million, providing the Browns with greater financial flexibility. Despite the relief, Cleveland still faces a $36 million cap deficit in 2026 and carries over $60 million in dead cap for 2025, including a $35 million hit for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns now have around $19 million in cap space but are expected to roll much of it over due to limited free agency options and a focus on managing future financial constraints. General manager Andrew Berry may use this relief to extend contracts, restructure deals, or add players if necessary, but the team's primary strategy appears to be financial prudence amid ongoing salary cap challenges. These moves have placed the Browns among the top teams gaining salary cap space relief this offseason, trailing only the Jets and Texans.