Jack Conklin sends message amid benching rumors

Jack Conklin has been through a tough injury spree, but the Cleveland Browns veteran right tackle is ready to return.

Conklin took to social media to post a rare message that shed some light on his situation. He also made reference to teammate Nick Chubb, who is also returning from a season-ending knee injury.

“Nothing is easy after an injury, especially multiple injuries,” Conklin wrote. “I could never have gotten through this without my wife (Caitlyn Conklin), she is my rock. I talked to (Nick Chubb) and there may be a Dark Knight, but the first person out of the pit was Bane! #Imback.”

Conklin suffered a torn ACL and medial collateral ligament in Week 1 of last season, sidelining him for the year. He was limited to just seven games in 2021 after rupturing his right patellar tendon.

Conklin signed a four-year extension with the Browns at the end of the 2022 season, tying him to Cleveland through 2026. He will be 32 at the end of the contract.

Browns must make decision on Jack Conklin

The Browns have a major problem at tackle with three starters. Former first-round pick Jedrick Wills, second-year big man Dawand Jones and Conklin will compete for starting spots. All three were injured last season and had their seasons end.

Wills, who is entering a new contract year, is well-established at left tackle. While his consistency has been inconsistent, the Browns have praised Wills for his progress.

“Watching the tape over and over, he’s doing a good job in the run game and the pass game. He’s winning his one-on-ones,” Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters in March, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He’s never perfect, because it’s hard to be perfect as a left tackle in this game. But he’s played well. I really think if he stays healthy, the trajectory continues to improve.”

Jones replaced Conklin after his injury and has made a strong case for permanent starter status. There is a chance Conklin could lose his starting spot to Jones when the season opens.

“I think Jed Wills Jr. will start the season at left tackle and Dawand Jones at right tackle, partly because I think Jack Conklin will need a little more time to recover from his torn ACL and MCL,” Cabot said on June 22. “Once Conklin is healthy, I think the Browns could keep Wills and Jones as starters as long as they play well enough not to disrupt the timing and chemistry of the line.”

Conklin is $10 million under the salary cap this year, but close to $20 million over the next two seasons. If the Browns feel they have a safe option in Jones, Conklin could potentially be a safe bet.

Browns RB Nick Chubb ahead of schedule in recovery

As Conklin pointed out, Chubb is also recovering from knee surgery. He suffered the injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chubb has been working hard to get back on the field, but the timeline is still undetermined. However, a recent video of Chubb’s practice provided some evidence that he could be ready to play early this year.

“I even had to ask him, ‘What knee was that again?’” Chubb’s trainer Brad Lester told Cleveland.com. “He said, ‘Left.’ I said, ‘That’s good, I can’t even tell.’ He’s way ahead of schedule in my opinion.”

Chubb and the Browns agreed to a restructured contract this offseason. The move reduced Chubb’s base salary by about $12 million to $2.275 million, converting much of that amount to bonuses.