Full Jerry Jeudy contract details make Browns decision look even worse
Cleveland Browns fans may not be as excited about the arrival of Jerry Jeudy once they see the details of his new contract extension.
By Lior Lampert
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy agreed to restructure his contract before signing a three-year, $58 million extension (including $41 million in guaranteed money) with the Cleveland Browns less than two weeks after the team acquired him from Denver Broncos in exchange for 2024 fifth and sixth-round draft picks.
Taking a flier on Jeudy, a former first-round pick entering his age-25 season, for a couple of Day 3 selections seemed like a solid move to make on the surface for a Browns team desperately in need of a receiver to line up opposite Amari Cooper – until now.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated revealed the specifics of Jeudy’s contract details, and it’s not pretty for the Browns, to put it kindly.
Browns WR Jerry Jeudy's 3-year, $52.5 million extension.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 24, 2024
• $18.997 million in 2024 (signing bonus + base).
• $16 million base in 2025.
• $13.487 million base in 2026.
• $17 million base in 2027.
First two years are fully guaranteed, plus $6 million of his '26 base.
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Full Jerry Jeudy contract details should make Browns fans worried
Cleveland will be paying Jeudy $18.997 million in 2024, with a $16 million base salary in 2025, $13.487 million in 2026, and $17 million in 2027, and the first two years of his deal are fully guaranteed, per Breer.
What's different about this? Jeudy's deal was first restructured on 3/14, turning $11.862M into a signing bonus, adding void years, and knocking the base to the minimum. He got another $6.103M signing bonus on the new deal, done 3/19, as a '24 raise. So it's 2 contracts.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 24, 2024
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It’s a drastic difference from his previously restructured deal, which knocked down his base salary to the league minimum, added void years, converted his $11.862 million earnings into a signing bonus, and earned him an additional $6.103 million.
Jeudy has not lived up to the billing that has come with his lofty draft pedigree through his first four years as a pro, failing to reach the 1,000-yard receiving threshold many of the top pass-catchers reach yearly, including players who are getting paid similarly to the 2020 15th overall pick.
Star wide receivers like D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, DeAndre Hopkins, Brandon Aiyuk, and Diontae Johnson will be making roughly the same amount as Jeudy in 2024, with a couple of the listed players actually making less than the newest member of the Browns.
Once Browns fans see the details of the fresh contract the team signed Jeudy to, they may not be as excited about his arrival.
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