Browns Linked To Multiple Free Agent Offensive Lineman By National Outlet

As the Browns look to construct a Super Bowl caliber roster for 2024, Pro Football Focus linked Cleveland to several soon to be free agent offensive lineman.

The Browns dealt with an exuberant number of injuries in 2023, but no position group saw more turnover than the offensive line.

Right from the season's outset Cleveland watched right tackle Jack Conklin go down with a knee injury in Week 1. Later in the season starting left tackle Jedrick Wills followed suit, suffering a season-ending knee injury of his own. That was then followed by a similar fate for rookie tackle Dawand Jones, who was having a bbroke out season filling in for Conklin.

Meanwhile, All-Pro Guard Joel Bitonio battled a number of injuries this year and center Ethan Pocic missed some time with a nerve issue as well. 

Consider the injury epidemic a learning experience for the Browns, who watched their 2023 campaign come to an end in the Wild Card Round, with their fourth and fifth string tackles starting. As general manager Andrew Berry looks to assemble a championship caliber roster for 2024 he's likely to prioritize adding even more depth along the o-line.

Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus compiled a list of free agent offensive lineman to be and their most likely landing spots and linked Cleveland to three separate players. All three of whom could fill a key role of swing tackle for the Browns.

Coming in as the ninth best available lineman this offseason according to PFF, Spielberger named Jets 2020 first-round pick, Mekhi Becton as the first potential target for Cleveland. As Spielberger explained, Becton may look for a place to boost his stock this season.

Cleveland was decimated by injuries at the tackle spots throughout 2023. That landing spot would look more like a swing tackle opportunity, with left tackle Jedrick Wills set to play on his fifth-year option in 2024. Becton would get to fill in at either spot and rebuild his stock, with the Browns adding a contingency plan to protect quarterback Deshaun Watson in case of emergency.

Starting tackles are hard to come by so even if Becton is looking for a place to prove himself, he could end up finding a place to do that as a starter instead.

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Next on Spielberger's list is Texans tackle Josh Jones, who is no stranger to being in a reserve tackle role.

All the above teams need either starting-caliber or quality upside swing tackles, and Jones fits the billing there to a tee. He got some run on the inside at guard with the Houston Texans in 2023, as well, so he’s a flexible, young option with the potential to develop into a solid starter across the formation. Houston traded for Jones before the season amid a bunch of injuries across the line, and other teams had cursory interest.

Spirlberger mentions the Saints, Jets and Titans as other potential landing spots for Jones. He goes back to the Texans well to find another swing tackle player the Browns could consider in George Fant.

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Fant should continue to get looks as a swing tackle in outside zone-based offenses, with his tight end chops from his Seattle days illustrating his athleticism in space and as a sixth offensive lineman in jumbo packages. All three listed teams could use tackle depth on the cheap, and Fant makes a ton of sense.

The Dolphins and Seahawks are also linked to Fants. Free agency officially opens at 4 p.m. on March 13, so the next few weeks will be revealing as to how high of a priority offensive line depth will be for Berry and company.