No Members of Browns Will Earn Proven Performance Escalator This Year

First, let's explain what we mean by "proven performance escalator (PPE)." It applies to players selected anywhere between rounds 3-7 of the NFL Draft who have met one of the following criteria:

• played in 35% of the snaps in two of his first three seasons
• posted a cumulative average of 35% of snaps in his first three seasons

Since the criteria waits three years, that means we have to look back at players from the 2013 NFL Draft. The players on the Cleveland Browns who would have been eligible for the escalator are: OLB Armonty Bryant, CB Leon McFadden, S Jamoris Slaughter, and OG Garrett Gilkey. The only player who is still even with the team is Bryant.

Bryant did not see too much action as a rookie in 2012, but still had an opportunity to earn the escalator if his playing time grew significantly in 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately, a torn ACL after five games victimized Bryant in 2014. If he had not suffered the injury, then he would have played 36.59% of the snaps over the span of a full season. In that hypothetical situation, the injury cost Bryant his escalator, because he became a significant rotational player in 2015, playing 45.86% of the snaps. It wasn't enough to boost his cumulative average of 23.88%, though. Bryant's base salary will remain at $675,000 for 2016.

Over The Cap agrees with our assessment for this year's PPEs.

Looking forward to next year, the only player who would have a shot at the escalator is ILB Christian Kirksey. In fact, he's already averaged over 35% of the defensive snaps over the first two years of his career. Regardless of what he does in 2016, he'll earn the escalator in 2017. The team's other potential picks were RB Terrance West and CB Pierre Desir. West is no longer with the team, and Desir has somewhat of a shot since he played in over 35% of the team's defensive snaps in 2015.

History of PPE with Browns Players
In 2014, three members of the Cleveland Browns earned proven performance escalators.
In 2015, only one player earned it.