Jack Conklin’s 2023 season is over after one game.
The Browns right tackle suffered a torn ACL in Cleveland’s Week 1 win over Cincinnati, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday, per a source.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski later confirmed during his Monday news conference that Conklin would mess the remainder of the year.
“Disappointed for him, but classic football — you never know when these things happen and it’s going to be a next-man-up type of thing,” Stefanski told reporters.
Conklin suffered the knee injury early in the second quarter of Sunday’s game when Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson awkwardly rolled up under Conklin’s leg, sending the tackle to the ground in immediate, visible pain. He was carted off, forcing the Browns to turn to rookie Dawand Jones to replace Conklin for the rest of the contest.
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The 2023 season was the first of a four-year, $60 million extension Conklin signed last season. He’s signed through 2026, but Monday’s news places the tackle in a familiar, frustrating place. In his four years with Cleveland, he’s appeared in 14 or more games in even-year seasons, but hasn’t exceeded seven games played in odd-year campaigns. Conklin missed nine games in 2021 due to elbow and knee injuries, but was able to return and play 14 games last season.
Unfortunately for the two-time All-Pro, 2023 ended after one half of football.
As he did for much of the preseason, Jones handled the responsibilities of right tackle remarkably well, staying out of the spotlight Sunday by doing his job. The massive tackle arrived in Cleveland via a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State and looks to be capable of replacing Conklin going forward. He’ll fill such a role when the Browns head to Pittsburgh for a Monday night contest in one week.
Stefanski confirmed Jones will be starting in Conklin’s place going forward.
“Dawand has been constantly working with coach (Bill) Callahan to get ready,” he said. “There are no redshirts in the NFL. He will continue to get better.”
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