5 surprise players who could be dealt at NFL trade deadline

3. Jack Conklin, OT, Cleveland Browns

It’s no secret that the Cleveland Browns are looking to be sellers at the NFL trade deadline and they’ve already made it clear that both Kareem Hunt and Greedy Williams are available. Hunt and Williams have a couple of things in common that make them expendable for the Browns.

First, they’re in the final year of their deal. And second, they each have the ability to start, which means Cleveland could try and milk some future assets for them now rather than losing them in free agency for nothing.

Another player in a similar boat is Jack Conklin, their starting right tackle. Unlike Williams and Hunt, Conklin is a regular member of the starting unit but he is in the final year of his deal like the two players on the block. Still, he could be replaced since they have James Hudson as the reserve and he did play well while Conklin was out earlier this season.

Right now, the Browns are in solid shape with the salary cap but that’s going to change in 2023 when Deshaun Watson’s deal starts to take off. That’s why it’s highly unlikely they extend Conklin, meaning he should be someone they field calls for.

Any team that’s in the race for a playoff spot right now but dealing with an injury — or subpar play — on the offensive line should see if they can bring Conklin in. He’s a capable starter who doesn’t make many mistakes. On top of that, it might not cost much more than a mid-round pick to make this happen.