Trades to Make: Cleveland Browns Offensive Lineman Jack Conklin

The NFL has seen several high-profile trades in recent weeks, but there's still time for teams to shake things up. In Trades to Make, we'll cover some of the best players who could be on the move before the November 5th trade deadline.

Offensive Lineman Jack Conklin

If there's one team in the league that needs to set its sights on the distant future, it's the Cleveland Browns. The trade that brought Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson to town can finally, definitively be declared a failure. Over three seasons and 19 middling appearances, Watson has averaged a middling 177.1 passing yards per game and an utterly untenable 4.76 net yards per passing attempt. Now, he's facing a long rehab following a torn Achilles. It's time for the Browns to begin looking ahead. Way ahead.

The Browns still have two years left on Watson's contract with a colossal $92 million in fully guaranteed salary, so they can't realistically expect to be a Super Bowl contender while he's on their books. Any expensive veteran on their roster who can't be relied on beyond 2025 should be considered for a trade, including two-time first-team All-Pro tackle Jack Conklin.

Who should be interested?

Conklin is a sometimes dominant but oft-injured offensive lineman who is no longer a worthy gamble for the Browns given their timeline. He clearly remains effective when available: He's sitting on a 72.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his three appearances this season. He would make sense on a contending team that is desperate for help on the offensive line and willing to accept the risk that he may not be consistently available. He could probably be acquired for a late-round pick.

The Houston Texans are 6-3 so far this season, but their offense has disappointed. Quarterback CJ Stroud had a rookie season for the ages last year, but the Texans have averaged a mediocre 22.3 points per game in 2024, and Stroud has already absorbed an alarming 30 sacks. If the Texans want to reshuffle their offensive line in the hopes of protecting Stroud, Conklin could be a valuable addition.

The Chicago Bears also have a young quarterback that needs protecting. First-overall pick Caleb Williams has taken a sack on 9.35% of his dropbacks, and his inability to handle pressure has sabotaged the Bears' passing attack: They currently rank 28th in passing yards per game and 27th in net yards per attempt. For Williams to maximize his potential, the Bears will need to improve their pass-blocking, and Conklin could help.