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According to ESPN's Field Yates, the Cleveland Browns signed third-string quarterback Austin Davis to an extension Wednesday morning:
Source: the Browns have signed reserve QB Austin Davis to a 2-year, $4.173M extension through 2017.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 30, 2015
Davis was going to make $600,000 this year, and would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2016. Now, he's under contract through 2017, with him set to make $4.173 million over the remainder of his detail. On first impression, this has to seem like an unusual move. Starting QB Josh McCown and backup QB Johnny Manziel are both under contract through 2017, and the team still has guaranteed money tied up with both of them.
At this point in time, I wouldn't read too much into the extension. The deal is comparable to what a guy like QB Charlie Whitehurst was making for the Titans over the past two years. The Browns were supposedly interested in trading for Davis this offseason before they ever signed McCown, so they might prefer him as a younger option moving forward. It's even possible that next year, if Manziel were to become the starter, the team could part ways with McCown (they'd only owe him $2.333 million instead of $4.375 million) and make Davis the backup.
The part of this whole thing that interests me the most is the fact that the move was made while GM Ray Farmer is still serving his four-game suspension, which will end after this week's game.
Contract Extension Details
NFLPA database shows QB #Browns Austin Davis is scheduled to make base salaries of $800,000 this yr, $1,350,000 next yr & $1,700,000 in 2017
— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) September 30, 2015