Former Michigan State Star is Surprising NFL Cut Candidate
The Cleveland Browns have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season, as they are just 3-11 heading into Week 16.
As a result, some wholesale changes could befall the Browns during the offseason, which means Cleveland could be making some big trades -- and cuts.
The Browns have a rather tenuous salary cap situation, and they need to start rectifying that in order to properly build for the future.
That means Cleveland will have to make some tough decisions, which could include parting ways with offensive tackle Jack Conklin.
Here's the thing: if the Browns release Conklin with a post-June 1 designation, they would save in the neighborhood of $16 million. That is huge for a Cleveland squad that needs to free up all the money it can.
And for Conklin? The former Michigan State star has been unable to stay healthy since joining the Browns on a lucrative deal in 2020.
Out of a possible 81 games since arriving in Cleveland, Conklin has played in just 46 of them. He has appeared in only 10 contests since 2023, as he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 last year.
When healthy, Conklin remains a stout tackle. He is a two-time first-team All-Pro, after all, and there is a reason why the Browns have stuck with him in spite of his injury issues.
Taking that into consideration, if Cleveland did cut Conklin, he would almost certainly find a home. He is still just 30 years old, so he does have quite a bit of runway in front of him so long as he can stay on the field.
Conklin arrived at Michigan State in 2012, and after redshirting his first season, he became a full-time starter in 2013. He remained at East Lansing through 2015 and proceeded to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the eighth overall pick.
The Plainwell, Michigan native spent the first four years of his career with the Titans before linking up with the Browns.
We'll see what becomes of the Spartans product in the coming months.
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