Like a good choose your own ending book, the Browns have several options at their disposal when it comes to settling the bookend spots on their offensive line.
The emergence of 2023 fourth round pick Dawand Jones last season, who filled in valiantly at right tackle after Jack Conklin was lost for the season in Week 2, has muddied the water at both tackle positions. Between Conklin, Jones and left tackle Jedrick Wills , someone is going to be the odd man out if they’re all still on the roster come August.
Having too many starting caliber players at any position is never something a coach is going to complain about. In fact, just last week at the NFL Combine Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski seemed to relish the fact that the position group is so deep.
“It’s a great problem to have,” he said. “I feel awesome about all of our guys, but the three guys you’re talking about, I feel great about ’em.”
It also serves as a luxury for the Browns after a 2023 campaign that was marred by an unprecedented number of injuries. The trio of Conklin, Wills and Jones fell victim to the epidemic themselves, with each suffering season-ending knee injuries at different points of the season.
The good news, as eneral manager Andrew Berry revealed at the combine, all three are on track to be ready at the start of the season in September. That means a major decision looms large regarding which two will earn the starting jobs.
Nearing 30, Conklin would normally be the most expendable of the three, especially after a second serious knee injury in a three year span. But the Browns gave Conklin a four-year, $60 million extension in 2022 and moving on from him either via trade or release would leave them on the hook for $21 million, which would either accelerate onto this years cap or be spread between the next two years.
With the cap jumping to $255 million for 2024, perhaps that’s less of a financial burden for Cleveland to eat than it originally anticipated. Then again, that jump makes Conklin’s $12 million cap hit for this season much less of a burden as well. At this point it would be pretty unexpected if the Browns moved on from Conklin this offseason mostly for financial reasons. For what it’s worth though, he has proven to be a steady force on the O-line when healthy.
The same can’t necessarily be said for Wills. The 2020 first-round pick is set to play next season on the fifth-year option from his rookie deal. While the Alabama product has flashed his immense talent in spurts, consistency issues leave much to be desired for the Browns.
Still, moving on from him comes with a substantial $14 million cap hit, unless he’s traded after June 1. Perhaps there’s a scenario where Berry and company enter training camp hoping to increase his stock in the preseason before flipping him for a pick ahead of Week 1.
If that’s something the Browns will consider though it also requires Jones – who is the cheapest of the three – to move from his natural spot as a right tackle and try his hand on the left side. Don’t be surprised if Jones takes reps at left tackle along with Wills once both are able to start practicing with the team again. The Ohio State product did the same thing during training camp last summer too.
Plus, if Cleveland is thinking about the future it makes a ton of sense to let Jones take snaps on both sides. A year from now those tackle spots could look very different for the Browns, but whatever their fiture plans are Jones is more than likely are part of them.
Should Cleveland enter the season with all three starter worthy tackles on the roster – a fairly reasonable outcome to expect – Jones also feels like the likely best option to serve as the team’ top swing tackle next season, given his youth and team friendly contract.
Berry and Stefanski have a tough decision on their hands though, regarding one of the more intriguing roster situations of the offseason.
