Everyone in the world is aware of the offensive line struggles in Cleveland. Apparently, the new front office led by Andrew Berry decided to try and ease those worries on day one of free agency with the signing of former Tennessee Titans tackle, Jack Conklin. The elite right tackle agreed to a fat contract of $42 million with $30 million of it fully guaranteed.
Name: Jack Conklin
Height: 6-6
Weight: 308 pounds
Age: 25 years old
Previous Team: Tennessee Titans
Conklin is an absolute stud and was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by Tennessee out of Michigan State. He immediately earned All-Pro honors as a rookie. Although he hasn’t repeated those honors, he had another fantastic season in 2017 before ending the year with a torn ACL. The 2018 season was not great for Conklin, but most will chalk that up to him being slowed by his injury, especially considering he missed the first three games of the season.
This past season was much better and healthier. There is no question Conklin is at least a top 10 right tackle in the NFL. You can’t teach his blue-collar work ethic or intangibles and this goes back to his days as a walk-on for Michigan State. Conklin has elite power, which allows him to win at the point of attack on a consistent basis. The former Spartan is a coach’s dream with a “yes sir” attitude.
In order for this signing to pay off, Conklin needs to stay healthy and continue on this upward trajectory. No one expects him to return to his pre-ACL tear form, but it would be a dream come true if he did. Conklin lacks the eye-popping athleticism you see in other top tackles around the league and that mixed with his lack of ideal length make him a question mark against more athletic edge rushers.
This piece doesn’t read extremely positive or hopeful, but Conklin is a near-elite talent that will step in and dominate the right tackle spot for the Cleveland Browns. The leap from Chris Hubbard to Conklin will make any fan cry tears of happiness, but it is important to be aware of the large dip in play Conklin experienced the season after his injury. It is reasonable to expect Conklin to play at a Pro Bowl level, but maybe not an All-Pro level.