The emergence of Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was a massive storyline from the 2023 season.
However, due to a bit of a late breakout, and now entering the final year of his contract, the Browns and Owusu-Koramoah are searching for common ground on a contract extension. And according to The OBR’s Brad Stainbrook, that common ground has yet to be found.
According to Stainbrook, the Browns and their Pro Bowl linebacker have had been discussing a new deal for “some time now,” but cannot “see eye to eye” right now.
#Browns and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah have been in talks regarding a contract extension for “some now time,” but the sides are struggling to “see eye to eye” on a number figure. The hope is talks move in a positive direction before the start of the season, per a league source. pic.twitter.com/ZenABV8Ten
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) July 17, 2024
Given how all over the map the linebacker market is, the hangup more than likely revolves around which newer deals to use as a landmark for Owusu-Koramoah’s extension.
During the 2023 offseason, Tremaine Edmunds was paid $18 million per year. This slots as the third-highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. Then this offseason, when the market usually increases, Patrick Queen only saw an extension worth $13.1 million per year.
Just making inferences here based on context, there may be reason to believe the snag may be where Owusu-Koramoah’s team values his new deal (near Edmunds’ numbers), while the Browns are trying to hang more around Queen’s deal.
This could be a case like safety Grant Delpit’s extension, where the Browns and Owusu-Koramoah do not come to an agreement until near the end of the season instead of before training camp.
