Off-season thoughts (Vol.VIII) 

For some reason, many pundits around the National Football League universe believe the Browns still own one of the best offensive lines in the league. Time to quarrel with that notion.

The unit that immeasurably helped the Browns qualify for the 2020 NFL playoffs did not show up this past season. They were not the sole reason the offensive stats fell semi-sharply, but did not deliver as hoped to the disappointing group effort.

The lifeline of that side of the football lies in the trenches; the five plug-uglies whose quality of work determines the successes and failures over the course of the regular season and, hopefully, beyond. As they go, so go the fortunes and misfortunes. 

As constituted right now with the college football draft less than two months away, there are a few questions regarding the offensive line with the window of opportunity slowly closing. Their strengths and weaknesses cancel each other.

Injuries and pandemic-related absences that played havoc with the unit the last two seasons did not seriously affect the ground game, the Browns racking up third- and fourth-best rankings in total rushing yards and fifth- and seventh-best rankings in touchdowns.

Clearly, that is not where the weakness lies. These guys, whether it's the top five starters when healthy or a combination involving backups, excel at moving the opposition out of the way for the likes of Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson.

And then you look at the statistics in the passing game and find the answer to the problem and an argument to push against the notion this unit is still as strong as 2020. It is not.

When head coach and offensive playcaller Kevin Stefanski dialed up a pass in 2020, the end result was invariably a success. A healthy Baker Mayfield was one of the best quarterbacks statistically in the NFL in the last half of the season. 

That's because the five guys in front of him kept him mostly vertical and his uniform clean. He was sacked just 26 tines in 16 games. They were an offensive machine, scoring 408 points, scoring 30 or more points in eight of the 18 games, including the playoffs.

Now contrast that with 2021, which saw fewer points (349) scored in one more game (17). The offense limped to an 8-9 finish, scoring more than 30 points in only three of the games. If it weren't for the much stronger defense, 8-9 very well would have been more like 5-12 or 6-11.

Last season, a semi-crippled (in a football sense) Mayfield was dropped 49 times in 15 games and barely escaped on at least a dozen and half other occasions. He was a standing target, due in large part to the multiple injuries that rendered him semi-mobile.

Time for a closer look at what to expect this season, beginning with the starting five of tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin, guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller and center JC Tretter.

Tretter (just turned 31) and Bitonio (31 in October) aren't getting any younger, although each has played like a much younger man the last two seasons. Both are solid in the run game and pass protection. But it bears repeating they aren't getting any younger and it's only a matter of time before their talents begin to fail them.

Teller, who at 26 gained elite status among guards with a terrific 2020 season, is still exceptionally strong at the point of attack, but slipped a bit in the passing game and doubled his penalties from five, but still ranks high in the league. The Browns recognized the worth of the two guards, rewarding each with multi-year contract extensions. 

Conklin (28 in August) is the wild card in the group. The 2020 All-Pro played just six full games last season, tearing a patellar tendon in week 12 in late November right after returning from a three-week absence with a dislocated elbow. Reports indicate he is ahead of schedule in his rehab with a good chance he'll be ready for the beginning of this season. 

And now we come to the weak link of the line. Wills (23 in May) thus far has proven an unwise choice in the 2020 draft with the 10th overall selection with three prime candidates, including All-Pro Tristan Wirfs, still on the board. 

In his first two seasons, Wills has missed five full games and played at less than 100% in numerous others with lingering ankle problems that affected his performance. He played in only 69% of the plays this past season after playing in 90% the previous season. 

He was drafted specifically to play left tackle (the second-most important position on offense) after playing right tackle exclusively throughout his high school and collegiate career. He struggled in pass protection as a rookie, accumulating a league-high 11 penalties (for the position) that were accepted. He cut that to four last season while playing about 200 fewer snaps.

Available off the bench (per the latest roster) are center Nick Harris, tackles James Hudson III, Chris Hubbard and Alex Taylor and guards Michael Dunn, Drew Forbes, Blake Hance and Hjalte Froholdt. Strengthening the line depth should be one of General Manager Andrew Berry's high priority tasks, although Harris and Dunn showed promise late last season when injuries struck.