4 Burning Browns Questions, Including How They'll Handle Jack Conklin's Return?

The Super Bowl is behind us and the NFL Combine is just a week away. As the Browns start building for 2024, we'll answer the burning questions that face the franchise each week. Let's tackle four right now!

A week removed from the Super Bowl, which team are the Browns closer to replicating, the Chiefs or the 49ers?

This is tough because Patrick Mahomes is unreplicable and I'd discourage any team from thinking copying the Chiefs' way of doing things is an easy thing to do. I think there are more similarities between the Browns and 49ers, even without a defense that was too three in the NFL the way the Browns and Chiefs were. I mean, Kevin Stefanski and Kyle Shanahan run very similar systems for starters.

One thing has me leaning Kansas City though and that's the QB situation. Deshaun Watson is not Mahomes, but they're both being paid like top QBs in the sport. The 49ers meanwhile are operating with their quarterback, Brock Purdy, on a rookie deal which is flexibility the Browns just do not have right now. For that reason I'll say the Chiefs.

With Jack Conklin making his way back from injury and tied to the team through a difficult contract to get out from right now, how will the Browns juggle their newfound depth at tackle? 

Conklin's contract is an albatross. Trading him before June first would still leave the Browns with a cap hit of $21 million this season. Doing so after June 1 would allow them to split that up into $7 million and $14 million chunks over the next two years. Ultimately, I think the dead money makes Conklin a thought candidate to be traded right now so he's probably here to stay.

That's not necessarily a bad thing though, even with the emergence of Jones this past season. For starters, Cleveland was ravaged by injuries in 2023, particularly along the offensive line. It doesn't hurt to have depth at any of those spots. Conklin and Wills will likely be your starters at the tackle spots come Week 1 with Jones as the top reserve. Perhaps the Browns can try to test Jones out as a swing tackle who can play either side of the O-line. If he takes to that well maybe he even becomes Wills replacement at left tackle if this ends up being his last season with the franchise.

Will the Browns pursue Mike Evans if he hits free agency?

This comes on the heels of a report from Jordan Schultz that the Buccaneers had set this past weekend as a deadline to work out a long-term deal and that the two sides are far apart. It sounds like Evans is heading to free agency, but with the franchise tag window opening today there's always a possibility Tampa Bay tags him.