Getty Offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cleveland Browns are shuffling things around on the offensive line ahead of roster cut-down day and an interesting opportunity may have just presented itself.
The Chicago Bears waived former first-round offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood on Sunday, August 27. Leatherwood played just one season in Chicago after the Las Vegas Raiders selected him No. 17 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Browns podcaster Tyler Johnson on Monday suggested that Cleveland consider bringing Leatherwood into the fold should he clear waivers, despite two NFL teams already taking chances on him then moving on after only one-year stops.
I wonder if the #Browns take a look at potentially signing offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood.
He is a 2021 First Round Pick and we know Andrew Berry loves his former First Round Picks.
Keep in mind Bill Callahan is the BEST offensive line coach in the NFL this could be an…
“I wonder if the #Browns take a look at potentially signing offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood,” Johnson wrote. “He is a 2021 first-round pick and we know [Browns GM] Andrew Berry loves his former first-round picks. Keep in mind Bill Callahan is the BEST offensive line coach in the NFL [and] this could be an interesting move.”
Browns Offensive Tackles Played Below League Average in 2022
GettyOffensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. of the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns should already field one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in 2023, though they are mildly suspect at the tackle position. Two-time All-Pro Jack Conklin starts on the right side, while former No. 10 overall pick Jedrick Wills Jr. is tasked with protecting QB Deshaun Watson’s blindside on the left.
Cleveland picked up the $14.2 million fifth-year option on Wills’ rookie contract this offseason, keeping him locked into the roster for another two years, though the move didn’t go off without some debate in the media.
Wills has struggled on and off over his three years in the NFL, producing a subpar run-blocking grade of 55.3 last season, per Pro Football Focus (PFF) analytics. Wills’ overall PFF player score rated him out as the 56th-best offensive tackle in the league in 2022 out of 81 players who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position.
Conklin signed a four-year contract extension worth $60 million total in December 2022 to remain with the Browns through the 2026 campaign. However, the former No. 8 overall pick has struggled with injuries of late, missing 13 of 34 games over the past two seasons. PFF rated Conklin the 45th-best offensive tackle in the NFL in 2022.
Leatherwood came into the league as an offensive tackle out of the University of Alabama. He moved to guard for the Raiders, though switched back to tackle for the Bears in 2022 and could potentially serve as a backup at both positions.
Alex Leatherwood’s Puzzling NFL Struggles Continued with Bears in 2022
GettyOffensive lineman Alex Leatherwood has played for two teams in two years in the NFL, and once again finds himself a free agent.
Leatherwood started all 17 games at guard for the Raiders during his rookie year but was surpassed by multiple players on the roster the following offseason. Las Vegas released Leatherwood on August 30, 2022, and the Bears claimed him off the waiver wire.
The offensive lineman appeared in four games for Chicago last season, playing 32 total snaps on offense and 11 total snaps on defense, per Pro Football Reference. That is compared to 1,105 offensive snaps and 73 special teams snaps with the Raiders the year prior.
Leatherwood will play the upcoming campaign at 24 years old. He stands at 6’5″ and weighs 312 pounds. Considering his age and frame, not to mention his first-round draft pedigree after a successful collegiate career at Alabama, Leatherwood figures to get at least one more shot somewhere in the league.
The Browns make considerable sense with Callahan serving as the O-line coach, assuming the team believes it needs reinforcements to the unit and is willing to pick up the remaining two seasons on Leatherwood’s four-year, $14.4 million contract.
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Free Agent Pitch Sees Browns Add Former 1st-Round Tackle