Like Jenkins, Conklin has spent this season recovering from a serious knee injury. The patellar tendon tear Conklin suffered in November 2021 kept the first-round first pick out until Week 3 of this season, but Cleveland’s right tackles have appeared in every game. matches since that debut. After locking in protection Joel Bitonio and Trader WyattThe Browns will keep another superior blocker.
Conklin only made his way to Cleveland after the Titans passed his fifth year pick and a free agent deal. Tennessee drafted Conklin in the first round of 2016; he is the first player to be fired by GM recently Jon Robinson chose. While Conklin won the All-Pro title as a rookie, he suffered an ACL tear in 2018. The following May, the Titans didn’t pick his pick. After he played a lead role in the first season of Derrick Henrytwo rushing titles of (in the 2019 season), the Titans – who have both Henry and Ryan Tannehill as a freelance agent in 2020 – let him hit the market. That ultimately turned out to be in the Browns’ interest, and Friday’s extension should help Conklin stay in Ohio long-term.
Armed with ample cap space in 2020, the Browns used part of that to put Conklin on a three-year, $42 million contract. The short-term deal gave the Michigan State product a chance to hit the market again before it turned 30. Finishing the season at age 28, Conklin ultimately used that three-year contract to his advantage. and will become the rare player to sign a three-year contract. lucrative trade in his 20s.
While this $15 million per year renewal doesn’t place Conklin among the top five earners in his position, the fully guaranteed $31 million is fourth among those. rightist. As for AAV, Conklin’s deal is sixth in this position. The O-line freelance market in 2023 is now significantly worse, with Jenkins and Conklin not on the board.
After a serious injury, Conklin was only in the top 40 of Pro Football Focus in terms of ability to compete for the ball. The PFF gave him the top 20 ratings from 2019-21, and that’s why Conklin will be in better form given more time from his patellar tendon injury. The PFF ranks the Browns’ O-line team eighth overall, although the team’s centering issues have affected the unit a bit. The team won’t have to worry about a suitable workaround for the foreseeable future.
Team Browns failed to stand up in the playoff race in time Deshaun Watsonand the well-paid quarterback hasn’t shown much of his form in Texas since returning from an 11-game ban (and 17 paid absences last year). But Nick Chubb booked the fourth Pro Bowl in a row this week. The star running back hit 1,252 yards and hit the record for the highest number of touches (12) of his career. Browns Cutting Center JC Tretter this year, which led to his retirement, but has prioritized extensions to their O-line findings. Bitonio and Teller are signed until 2025 and the remaining problem solved Jedrick’s Will‘ rookie deal – based on how the Browns handled his fifth-year option – could run until 2024. Conklin is currently inked through 2026.
