The Cleveland Browns are facing major roster turnover during the offseason and will likely say goodbye to more than one All-Pro talent.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently authored a deep dive into the Browns’ horrendous quarterback situation to hash out who might be the team’s starter come Week 1 of 2025. He ultimately landed on a current collegiate player yet to be named that Cleveland will select in next year’s NFL draft.
During the in-depth examination, Barnwell predicted the team will part ways with three recent starters at premium positions come March — running back Nick Chubb (four-time Pro Bowler and Second-Team All-Pro in 2022), offensive tackle Jack Conklin (two-time First-Team All-Pro in 2016, 2020) and offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (first-round pick in 2020).
“The Browns will roll over plenty of cap space into 2025, but they’re going to be paying [Deshaun] Watson $46 million each of the next two years,” Barnwell wrote December 9. “They have contributors to pay on defense and need to rebuild their offense, where they’ll likely be replacing starting tackles Jack Conklin and … Jedrick Wills Jr. and veteran running back Nick Chubb.”
The figure Barnwell cited is the real amount Cleveland owes Watson, though his cap hits are going to be worse ($72.9 million each of the next two seasons) due to multiple contract restructures.
Nick Chubb, Browns Nearing Natural End to Partnership
GettyCleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb.
Chubb was arguably the league’s best running back between 2019-22, rushing for an average of 1,336 yards and 10 TDs across each of those seasons, despite missing seven games over that stretch.
The Browns paid him like one of the best, too. Chubb inked a deal worth $36 million in July 2021. However, he has suffered season-ending injuries in back-to-back campaigns — a blown out knee in 2023 and a broken foot last weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs — and will turn 30 years old late next season.
Chubb already took a big pay cut in the final year of his contract to remain with the Browns, but after another big injury it simply doesn’t make sense for either side to continue the relationship beyond this year.
Jack Conklin Battled Injury, Jedrick Wills Proved Bust
GettyCleveland Browns right tackle Jack Conklin.
Conklin’s situation is similar to that of Chubb: he’s been good for the Browns when healthy, but that hasn’t been often in recent years.
The lineman earned All-Pro honors for the second time in his career during his first season in Cleveland, but injury has plagued him since. Conklin has missed 10 games, three games, 16 games and eight games in the past four years, respectively — played fewer contests (32) than he has sat out (36), according to Pro Football Reference.
Conklin has two years remaining on his current deal, which include base salaries of $14 million and cap hits of $19.5 million each season. Cleveland struggled mightily in pass protection this year and simply can’t afford to pay the 30-year-old that kind of money to continue sitting out.
On the other side of the offensive line, Wills has turned into a bonafide bust over his five years with the franchise. He has appeared in just 13 of the team’s 31 games since the start of the 2023 season due to injury and poor play, and has been among the worst tackles in the NFL when he’s been on the field over that span.
The Browns had little choice but to keep him around in 2024, but there is almost no chance he’s back in Cleveland next year after making more than $34 million over the life of his rookie contract.
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Browns Predicted to Part Ways With 2 All-Pros in Cost-Cutting Move