The Cleveland Browns have made a major change ahead of their Week 5 contest against the Minnesota Vikings, which will take place in London, England. After rolling out Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback for the first four games of the season, the team will be turning to third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel as its starter against the Vikings.
Folks will be curious to see how Gabriel fares in his first professional start after a standout collegiate career, but he’s going to need some support, particularly from his offensive line. With that in mind, Gabriel will surely be interested to see the latest injury update regarding star right tackle Jack Conklin ahead of this one.
Jack Conklin Questionable to Play vs. Vikings
The Browns’ offensive line has been a big topic of discussion throughout the week, as the team swung a trade with the Houston Texans for former second-round pick Cam Robinson on Monday. With Dawand Jones suffering a torn LCL, which ended his season prematurely, the team needed a replacement at left tackle, which led them to Robinson.
On the other side of the offensive line, all eyes have been on Conklin’s status, as he’s battling an elbow injury he suffered during the team’s season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. When he’s healthy, Conklin is one of the best right tackles in the league, as he earned a pair of All-Pro First Team selections in 2016 and 2020 for his strong play on the field.
Staying on the field has been an issue for Conklin as of late, as he missed five games last season after suiting up just one in 2023. However, Conklin has been working hard to get himself healthy for the Browns’ upcoming contest against the Vikings, as he has been listed as questionable to play in this game.
Browns injury report: RT Jack Conklin (elbow), CB Greg Newsome II (hamstring) questionable vs. Vikings in London,” Around The NFL shared in a post on X.
Browns Hoping Jack Conklin Can Suit Up in Week 5
GettyCleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin getting ready ahead of an NFL game.
Having Conklin on the field for this game would be huge. With Gabriel, who throws with his left hand, the right tackle position has suddenly become more important, as the player at that position will be protecting his blindside. There likely aren’t many other players in the league that Gabriel would rather have working at right tackle for his first NFL start than Conklin, who has a long track record of success in the league.
Conklin still has some hurdles to clear in order to get himself back on the field, and if he can’t go, Cornelius Lucas will draw his fourth straight start, although as noted above, the stakes would be considerably higher for him. As noted above, this game is taking place in London, which means an early kickoff at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday morning. With Gabriel under center, though, Browns fans will likely be setting their alarms early so that they can see how he looks under center.
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