Cleveland Browns: Where is Brian Hartline?
By Thomas Moore
Sep 27, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline (83) runs the ball against Oakland Raiders defensive back Neiko Thorpe (31) during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Almost from the day he put pen to paper on his contract, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been the focal point of anger from fans and questioning from the media.
A member of the inactive list in four of Cleveland’s first six games, Bowe has only been on the field for 12 offensive plays, and has yet to post a reception. In the meantime, much has been made of the $9 million in guaranteed money that is in Bowe’s contract.
On Monday, head coach Mike Pettine put words behind what has been clear for weeks now.
“We make that decision (on who is inactive) each week. We build the plan and see where we are from a depth standpoint,” Pettine said. “I talked about the minimum position requirements – the top four guys are entrenched. Marlon Moore is doing an outstanding job on special teams when he’s available. That just goes back to the last question: then, you have to work backwards from special teams.”
Those top four “entrenched” wide receivers are Travis Benjamin, Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel and, for some reason, Brian Hartline.
Hartline was the Browns other free agent signing to bolster the wide receiver position, and while his contract is not as large as Bowe’s, Hartline still signed a deal that includes $3 million in guaranteed money.
When the Browns signed Hartline in March, general manager Ray Farmer praised the veteran receiver for being a “crafty and savvy” player.
“Brian is an excellent teammate,” Farmer said. “He’s a crafty and savvy player with very good hands and is a precision route runner. He can win at all three levels. His size, hands and route running make for a good combination and he is going to help us at the position. We are happy to be able to get him to our team.”
So what have the Browns received in return from Hartline? How’s nine receptions (including just two in the past three games), 128 yards and zero touchdowns sound?
Yet nary a discouraging word is said about Hartline, while Bowe is a weekly target for fans and the media (at least when quarterback Johnny Manziel isn’t making headlines) leaving us to wonder if things would be different if Bowe had played his college ball at Ohio State rather than LSU.
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When you realize how little production the Browns are getting out of both Hartline and Bowe it becomes a bit surprising that the passing game has been able to find the success it has.
Heading into Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams, the Browns are ninth in passing yards (272.3 per game), tied for seventh in touchdown passes (11), have only thrown four interceptions, have the most pass plays of 40-plus yards (eight) and are 10th in quarterback rating.
They’ve done that mostly on the backs (or should that be hands?) of wide receiver Travis Benjamin and tight end Gary Barnidge, who have combined for 56 percent of the receptions from the wide receivers and tight ends, 65 percent of the yardage and 100 percent of the touchdowns.
If the Browns are going to have any chance of keeping the passing game going they are going to need to have someone other than Benjamin and Barnidge to start stepping up – and that includes not only Bowe but Hartline as well.
And if he can’t? Well then there’s little reason to think that Hartline won’t be next in line after the Browns hand Bowe his inevitable release.