Cleveland made significant roster moves Thursday, cutting ties with veteran offensive tackle Jack Conklin while bringing back their record-breaking punter Corey Bojorquez.
The Browns parted ways with the 31-year-old Conklin, a two-time All-Pro selection whose recent seasons have been marred by persistent injuries. Last season proved particularly challenging for the lineman, who appeared in only eight contests before missing the final two games due to back-to-back concussions.
Conklin’s injury struggles have been ongoing since joining Cleveland as a free agent in 2020. Over his four-year tenure with the Browns, he was unavailable for 44 out of 101 possible games. Despite these setbacks, the team had committed to him with a four-year, $60 million contract extension in December 2020, later restructured to run through the 2025 season.
The Michigan State product entered the NFL as Tennessee’s first-round draft pick in 2016, selected eighth overall. During his rookie campaign, he earned both first-team All-Pro honors and a spot on the All-Rookie team. He repeated his All-Pro achievement in 2020. Throughout his career, Conklin maintained perfect availability when healthy, starting every regular season game he played – 114 total – plus seven playoff contests.
Meanwhile, the Browns secured their special teams standout by re-signing Bojorquez, whose 2024 performance dominated NFL punting statistics. The 29-year-old specialist topped the league with 91 punts covering 4,165 yards, producing a 45.8-yard average per kick.
Bojorquez has established himself as one of Cleveland’s most consistent performers, setting multiple franchise punting records. His 49.4-yard average and 42.5-yard net average, both achieved in 2023, represent team single-season bests. This past season, he added another Browns record with 36 punts landing inside the 20-yard line.
The veteran punter brings extensive experience from stops with Buffalo (2018-20) and Green Bay (2021) before joining Cleveland. Across his seven-year career spanning 124 games, he has averaged 47.1 yards per punt on 546 attempts totaling 25,695 yards, with 205 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
