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Browns land major help for offensive line with addition of RT Jack Conklin
He comes to Cleveland after four seasons with the Tennessee Titans
By Andrew Gribble, ClevelandBrowns.com Senior Staff Writer
The Browns addressed a major need on the offensive line by adding one of the best available at the position.
Jack Conklin, who served as a cornerstone right tackle for the Tennessee Titans over the past four years, has signed a three-year deal with the Browns, who are banking on him doing the same in Cleveland.
“I'm pumped to get started and be a part of this great organization,” Conklin said. “Going through the process, Cleveland definitely became what I felt as the main suitor. To have a team like Cleveland be so excited about me, that was the biggest part for me and my family. We wanted to go somewhere where a team was super excited and that was going to be a huge key to help the team and be a big part of the community.”
The No. 8 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Conklin made an immediate impact as a rookie and carried that momentum into a strong four seasons in Tennessee. He was named first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2016 and went on to start 57 games, all at right tackle. He didn’t miss a game during the 2016, 2017 and 2019 seasons, starting all 16 in each, and appeared in nine during the 2018 season, which was hampered by multiple injuries.
“He’s a really smart, tough football player,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “From what I have heard about him and talked to former coaches and teammates, he's all about ball. I think he's going to really fit in with that offensive line group led by Coach (Bill) Callahan. I think those guys are the pulse of your football team, the guys up front on the offensive and defensive lines.
“I think Jack represents everything we want to be as a team.”
Conklin joins a Browns offensive line that boasts two-time Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and center JC Tretter, who recently signed a contract extension and has started 48 consecutive games since signing with the team in 2017.
Conklin’s signing is a big step forward, but the Browns will continue to look to upgrade the offensive line through all the available areas of player acquisition.
“When you're talking about being a productive offense, certainly you have to play in a cohesive manner from the front to the back,” Stefanski said. “Adding pieces along the offensive front really allows you to do different things schematically, and Jack's a big piece of that.”