The offensive line experienced the most turnover of any position group in 2023 despite the Browns dealing with an abundance of injuries.
Cleveland saw right tackle Jack Conklin go down in Week 1 due to a knee injury right from the start of the season. Subsequently, Jedrick Wills, the starting left tackle, suffered a knee injury that ended his season. Subsequently, rookie tackle Dawand Jones, who was substituting for Conklin during his broken out season, met a similar end.
For the Browns, who saw their 2023 season end in the Wild Card Round with their fourth and fifth string tackles starting, view the injury epidemic as a teaching opportunity. In his quest to put together a team worthy of a championship in 2024, general manager Andrew Berry is probably going to give extra depth along the offensive line top priority.
Pro Football Focus’s Brad Spielberger assembled a list of prospective landing spots for free agent offensive linemen and connected Cleveland with three different players. All three of them are capable of playing a crucial swing tackle position for the Browns.
Mekhi Becton, a 2020 first-round pick of the Jets, is the first possible target for Cleveland, according to Spielberger, who ranked him as the ninth best available lineman this offseason according to PFF. Spielberger clarified that Becton might search for a position this season to raise his profile.
Throughout 2023, injuries at the tackle positions devastated Cleveland. Considering that left tackle Jedrick Wills is scheduled to play on his fifth-year option in 2024, that landing spot would appear more like a swing tackle opportunity. The Browns would implement a backup plan to safeguard quarterback Deshaun Watson in the event of an emergency, giving Becton the opportunity to fill in at either spot and regain his reputation.
