Cleveland Browns OT Jack Conklin interested in an extension

It has been recently reported that Jack Conklin is interested in an extension with the Cleveland Browns. Conklin joined the franchise ahead of the 2020 season and has been with the team for the past two years.

In his two seasons with the team, he has been named as a member of the All-Pro team once. He may have been well on his way to another All-Pro selection, however, his 2021 season was cut short due to injuries.

If Conklin were to re-sign with the Browns, it’s likely that he will have around the same contract that he currently does. A conservative estimate would be another three-year $30 million deal. It’s also very likely that general manager Andrew Berry will structure such a contract with voidable years to minimize the hit during those three seasons.

Should the Browns extend Jack Conklin?

This seems like a no-brainer deal for the Browns. Conklin has been a major factor in what many think is the best offensive line in football. When he’s on the field, he simply gets the job done and was one of the best tackles in the game before suffering an injury last year.

With Cleveland likely missing quarterback Deshaun Watson for most if not all of the upcoming season, the offense will be more run-heavy than ever. While Jacoby Birrsett is a talented backup quarterback, he’s not capable of getting the Browns where they want to go as a team.

The AFC North and the conference as a whole are set to be more competitive than ever. In the division, the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens will probably be locks for the playoffs with one of them taking a wildcard spot. With AFC West being even more competitive than the North, the wildcard spots fill out quickly.

With the run game being more important now than ever for the Browns, it is important to keep talented offensive linemen like Conklin on the team. Cleveland will be hard-pressed on cap next season with multiple players having their extensions kick in in the 2023 season. As a result of this, Berry will once again have to work his cap magic to make all of these contracts work, but it’s essential that Conklin remains on the roster.

If he can remain healthy in the 2022 season, he should be well on his way to another All-Pro season. Conkin is only 27 years old and still has a lot of good years of football in front of him. With him wanting to stick around in Cleveland along with his incredible on-field production, the ball is in the Browns’ court to make this deal happen.