5 Cleveland Browns auditioning for a job elsewhere in 2023

With nine games left in the 2022 season, these pending free agents are likely auditioning for a role with a team other than the Cleveland Browns in 2023

Had the Cleveland Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8, they might have been sellers at the NFL trade deadline. That wasn’t the case, as they took it to their in-state rivals to give themselves a chance at turning things around in the final nine games.

Having said that, there are still a few players who are unlikely to return to Cleveland in 2023 — including a couple of those who were reportedly on the block. Here, we look at five players who will be auditioning for a job elsewhere down the stretch.

5 Browns auditioning for a job elsewhere in 2023

5. Jack Conklin, Offensive Tackle

Jack Conklin is a fantastic offensive lineman, there’s no denying that. The former Tennessee Titan joined the Browns in 2020 and has been a force on the right side of the line. He even wants to return to Cleveland, saying earlier in the year that an extension would be ideal.

The problem is, Cleveland is going to be tight against the salary cap which means they’re going to have to make some tough calls. One of those could be to allow Conklin to hit the open market and roll with James Hudson in his place.

Hudson started the first two games of the season while Conklin was recovering from a knee injury and he looked infinitely better than he did as a rookie. There’s no way he will be as good as Conklin but going with a younger player on his rookie deal is the smart financial play as long as the drop-off isn’t devastating. And Hudson showed this season that won’t be the case.