For some, training camp is an opportunity to break out and make a name for yourself. For others, it's going to be a final opportunity to prove you belong on the roster to begin with. For a roster as good and deep as the Cleveland Browns have, stacking days is mission-critical for a handful of players whose roles on this roster are either undefined or up in the air.
With training camp on deck this offseason, which Browns players have seen their stock decline over the course of the 2024 offseason for one reason or another? Let's take a look at a handful of bigger names.
3 Browns players whose stock is declining ahead of 2024 training camp
1. Elijah Moore, wide receiver
All things considered, the 2023 season was rather disappointing for Elijah Moore considering the hype he was generating a year ago at this time. Moore had a big rookie season as a member of the New York Jets, and unfortunately just hasn't been able to recapture that magic in any year since. The Browns tried to force-feed him the football last season to the tune of 104 targets and nine rushing attempts, and it resulted in the worst yards per touch of his NFL career so far (9.6).
So why is Moore's stock down other than unmet expectations last season? Well, the arrival of Jerry Jeudy in a trade with the Denver Broncos this offseason has put Moore on notice a bit, as well as the offseason emergence of a young receiver like Cedric Tillman. Are the Browns going to be able to get enough snaps and targets for someone like Moore with Jeudy being added to the mix?
Moore is going to need an undeniable training camp in order to have a substantial role on this team absent an injury to either Amari Cooper or Jerry Jeudy.
2. Siaki Ika, defensive line
There is no question that Siaki Ika could shock the world this offseason. Out of all of these types of articles that have been written in 2024, it's got to be close to 90 percent of the time or more that Ika's name pops up.
We could be talking about cut candidates, trade candidates, stock down, the roster bubble -- it doesn't matter what the subject is. It seems like the writing is really on the wall for the 2023 third-round pick out of Baylor.
And his draft status is what makes the conversation even more painful.
Ika was taken with the 98th overall pick in last year's draft, and there was a lot to like about him in the pre-draft process:
"While he’s unlikely to see passing downs, Ika does have enough athleticism and hand work to challenge the pocket from time to time. If he’s able to manage his weight, Ika could become an early starter and help improve a leaky run defense."Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
The Browns brought back a couple of key players in that defensive line rotation with the re-signing of veterans Shelby Harris and Maurice Hurst, who will undoubtedly play this coming season. They also added veteran Quinton Jefferson, and used their top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Ohio State star Mike Hall Jr.
With so much talent on the defensive front, Siaki Ika is left sort of in no-man's land. There's not a clear spot for him unless the Browns keep an abnormal amount of defensive linemen and sacrifice elsewhere on the roster.
3. Jack Conklin, offensive tackle
The offensive tackle position is going to be an interesting one to watch all offseason for the Cleveland Browns. The team is obviously a bit higher on former first-round pick Jedrick Wills than a large portion of the fan base. There are a couple of things fans can't stand when it comes to players, and the combination of not being available and underperforming draft status or financial status will frustrate everyone to no end.
Jedrick Wills hasn't been a model of consistency or availability the last handful of years, but the team seems to be maintaining a level of borderline maddening patience with him.
A lot of fans have been calling for Dawand Jones to be inserted into the lineup one way or the other, and while it doesn't seem like Jedrick Wills' spot is going to be in jeopardy (as long as he's healthy), perhaps we could see a bit of a surprise at the right tackle position.
Conklin is making his way back from injury, and was watching from the sidelines during offseason activities. If Jones proves himself to be a capable and potential long-term starting option, the Browns might want to consider alternatives with someone like Conklin. Trading Conklin before the start of the season wouldn't save the Browns a ton of money or anything, but this team needs to think about getting the best five out there to protect Deshaun Watson.
Dawand Jones's stock is on the rise right now and unless Conklin is able to hit the ground running whenever he does return to the field, it's going to be interesting to see what the Browns are willing to do in terms of keeping Conklin on the bench, trading him, or maybe even moving him to left tackle if Jedrick Wills struggles.
In other Browns news: