National Football League

Tashaun Gipson 'perfectly fine' with playing under tender

Published Jun. 22, 2015 12:02 p.m. ET

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Browns safety Tashaun Gipson doesn't love the idea of playing on a one-year tender, but he's more than willing to accept it. After all, it's more money than he made his first three years in the league. 

Gipson, who will make $2.356 million this season according to Spotrac.com, skipped voluntary OTAs as he was seeking a long-term deal. Gipson reported to mandatory minicamp last week, but did not practice due to a hamstring injury. In the meantime, the waiting game for a long-term offer will continue. 

"I'm perfectly fine with it, and I know what I can do in this defense," Gipson said Friday, per WKYC in Cleveland. "I'm going to have a smile on my face. At the end of the day, my rookie contract was less than this tender. So on the bright side about it, I'm going to make more money than I've ever made, so I can't complain about that."

Playing in the final season of his three-year, $1.4 million rookie deal, Gipson enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2014, earning his first Pro Bowl selection despite missing the last five games with a knee injury. Now that the league has taken notice of his ability, he is focused on an encore effort in 2015. 

"The league is starting to take slight notice," Gipson added. "I still feel like I've still got to earn the respect a little more, but I'm confident in what I can do, and if I have to test free agency next year, I'm more than confident in what I can do next year."

Gipson has seen the business side of football first-hand in Cleveland with the departures of close friends T.J. Ward and Buster Skrine, but he believes his contract situation will get worked out if he continues to play at a high level.

"Things are ongoing, but one of the things, me believing in myself, is I'm not afraid to play under the tender. I know what lies after this season, so I believe that if we can't get something done, I know that the Browns definitely want me to be here. I feel like they want me to be here. I hope they do, and I want to be here. I love the city of Cleveland."

h/t: WKYC

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