3 Cleveland Browns most likely playing their final season with team
By Greg Newland
Even though the Cleveland Browns are still focused on the 2022 season, let’s look at 3 guys who may be playing in their final season with the team.
Even though the Cleveland Browns have started out 2-1 in the 2022 season, I’m not sure anyone is truly giving them a shot at the playoffs. With Deshaun Watson suspended for the first 11 games of the season, Jacoby Brissett has managed the team well, but he’s still a very average starting NFL quarterback.
At this point 2-1 is great, but the loss to the New York Jets where every fan in America thought the Browns had won before the colossal collapse has left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Last year the schedule was brutal in the beginning and softened at the end of the year, in 2022 it’s the opposite. Cleveland’s four most winnable games were the first four games on the schedule.
While I hate to lose focus on this year, the Browns real chance at a Super Bowl will be in 2023. And with the major contract for Watson, you may be without these three players who are key parts of the 2022 roster.
Cleveland Browns most likely playing their final season with the team
No. 3 – Jack Conklin
With Jack Conklin back on the field last week, the Cleveland Browns offensive line was instantly better. While many starters are more run-blocking specialists, Conklin is fantastic in pass protection which is so important in today’s game.
There were some questions on if Conklin would ever get back to normal. He’s only 28 years of age, but a serious knee injury last year had some doubting his ability to return. So far so good in 2022, but Conklin is likely a luxury the Browns won’t be able to afford past this year.
It’s bad enough he has $6 million of void money over the next two seasons when he isn’t under contract, but with the league so desperate for tackle play, someone will give him a monster deal the Browns won’t be able to match (assuming he stays healthy).
I don’t feel extremely confident in James Hudson as the full-time starter just yet, but if he has the same type of improvement from 2022 to 2023 that he had this offseason, moving on from Conklin is likely the right move.