7 Cleveland Browns who need a strong second-half to keep their job

Jack Conklin

Jack Conklin is in an interesting place in his career. Still a viable starter for any team, and he’s still someone I think would be a better fit at left tackle, especially among Jedrick Wills’ very medical performances. So while one can easily say that he’s still good, one can also say that Conklin has declined.

Some of that may in fact be temporary, he is coming off of a major knee injury and you don’t really bounce back from that for a good 18 months, even if you’re cleared to come back after half that time. It takes time for the knee to regain its strength.

So Conklin’s struggles in 2022 do have a very real and tangible explanation. Will he rebound to his 2020 form ever again? Maybe, it’s very possible but here’s why Conklin makes the list; his pay does not meet his play.

If Conklin wants to stay in Cleveland, without taking a massive pay cut, he’s going to have to regain his form in the second half. That’s just the brass tax of it. Look at Austin Hooper, he had some solid outings with the Browns but when Andrew Berry felt he was too rich for his liking, Hooper got cut.

With Deshaun Watson’s contract about to go into effect next season, that’s an increase of $45 million against the cap on a team that has massive holes. The Browns are going to need to cut fat somewhere, and Conklin may be the odd man out if he doesn’t step up.