Browns Critical Decisions 2024: The Tackle Dilemma

With three starting caliber tackles, two set to make nearly $14 million and the other a budding star, how should the Browns handle the position heading into 2024?

The Cleveland Browns will be faced with multiple difficult decisions in the 2024 off-season. Today, we look at the team’s predicament at the tackle position. The Browns have one of the most expensive offensive lines in the NFL, with each of their starters garnering over $10 million per year, except for Ethan Pocic.

The Browns drafted tackle Dawand Jones in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, and after struggling through mini-camp, he came on strong in the preseason. In relief of right tackle Jack Conklin, he played tremendous football, reaching 29th in PFF’s tackle rankings before he was lost for the season with an MCL injury. He has been taken as high as a top-ten pick in 2023 redrafts this offseason. He has positioned himself to be one of the better tackles in the league after showing that he can use his 6-8, 385-pound frame to shut down some of the most formidable edge rushers in the league.

How can the Browns possibly have him start the season as a backup, considering the value they gained by drafting the big man? At the same time, Conklin is due $13.85 million of cash in 2024. If the Browns wanted to entertain trading him, they would have difficulty finding a trade partner willing to take on the guaranteed money and his injury risk.

The Browns could hypothetically eat a portion of the cash Conklin is due and trade him along with part of the guaranteed money he is owed this season. A similar approach which they took with Baker Mayfield when they ate $10.5m of his fifth year option before sending him to the Panthers.

Jedrick Wills will play on his fifth-year option and make a fully guaranteed $14.1 million. He would be easier to move as there likely will be teams looking to get better quickly on the offensive line and would be willing to trade a mid-round draft pick for the left tackle. It might seem like a lot of money but he is currently the 16th highest paid left tackle in 2024 and this will only fall when free agency begins and other players are extended.

The problem in this scenario is that the Browns would ask Jones to move from right tackle to left tackle. The reality is that it is incredibly difficult for a player to make that transition. The Browns would likely have wanted Jones to begin working on his move to the left side immediately after the season ended to prepare for the 2024 season, as there is no guarantee that a move to the left side would afford Jones the same success he saw on the right side, making this situation difficult to manage for the Browns.

Having three starting-caliber tackles seems like a good problem, and with the injuries that the Browns faced last season, it could even be argued as necessary. However, it is nearly impossible to justify leaving Jones on the bench. He must be on the field, as he is one of the best young offensive linemen in the league and has a bright future. At the same time, how can the team pay their third tackle $14 million?

I believe the Browns must find a way to move off either Wills or Conklin. While Conklin seems less likely, the Browns should still take calls about him and see if you can throw in a draft pick to help induce a team into taking on a portion of his contract. When he played, he played well and could provide a team with a boost at a premium position where quality play is hard to find.

It would be easier to move Wills. He is in the last year of his contract with the Browns, and an extension in not in the cards at this point. A trade for Wills likely makes sense for a number of teams, although once again, it’s a scary proposition to ask Jones to move to the left side.

In a perfect world, Conklin would be dealt to make room for Jones. The most likely path to facilitating a Conklin trade would be to have the Cleveland Browns eat $8.35 million of his current contract and then trade the remaining $5.5 million to another team. This move would also enhance their chances of getting a better draft pick in trade negotiations. There is no hurry to make a move like this; they could wait for another team to have an injury and benefit from knowing they have some security should they lose one of their three tackles to a season-ending injury during training camp or the preseason.

The unknown factor here is the changes on the Browns coaching staff. It is possible that new offensive line coach Andy Dickerson may have different ideas about what he wants from his offensive line, which could change how the Browns approach the situation at tackle.

Seeing how the Browns handle this quandary will be fascinating, as there is no straightforward answer. Regardless, the Browns must have Jones on the field come week one, no matter what that means for Conklin or Wills.

With three starting caliber tackles, two set to make nearly $14 million and the other a budding star, how should the Browns handle the position heading into 2024?

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