Breakdown of DT Shelby Harris’ contract with the Browns

Several void years for the Browns’ playmaking defensive tackle.

Unlike the contract for DT Maurice Hurst, the one for DT Shelby Harris is a bit more involved.

• Cleveland made a more serious commitment to Harris, giving him a 2-year deal worth $9 million, including $3.99 million in guaranteed money.
• He’ll have a base salary of $1.21 million in 2024, and $1.255 million in 2025. Both amounts represent the veteran minimum for base salaries with 7+ years of service. His base salary in 2024 is guaranteed.
• Harris has a $2.78 million signing bonus that is guaranteed, spread out over five years (which means that it dips into several void years). Then, next offseason, if the Browns opt to keep Harris, they’ll pick up a $2.735 million option bonus, which would also be spread out over five years.
• He has a $30,000 per-game roster bonus in each of his first two seasons. He was active for all 18 regular season games last year, so ($30,000 x 18 = $510,000) is likely to be earned and counts toward the salary cap.
• If the Browns decide not to keep Harris after this season, then they’ll owe $2.224 million in dead cap next season, but save $4.5 million in cap space.
• If the Browns keep Harris for both seasons and don’t re-sign him after that, then his contract will look like this for 2026 as far as dead cap space goes: