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Cleveland Browns: Can Austin Pasztor be fixed?

By Joel W. Cade

Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns guard John Greco (77) and offensive guard Austin Pasztor (67) check on quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Browns, 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns guard John Greco (77) and offensive guard Austin Pasztor (67) check on quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Browns, 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas (73) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas (73) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Create Space

The second rule of pass protection is to create space between the lineman and the defender. Better put, the lineman needs to place himself between the quarterback and the defender. The only way to accomplish that is to create space off the line of scrimmage repositioning the offensive lineman between the quarterback and defender.

The Cleveland Browns use a slide step technique as described in LeCharles Bentley’s video. In his book, A View From the O-Line, Howard Mudd dedicates an entire chapter to detailing why this type of protection is the wrong choice for NFL teams given the proliferation of the spread offense in college. For Mudd, the slide step requires an excellent athlete with experience performing the slide technique in order to be successful in the NFL. Mudd prefers the dish protection technique.

Here the dish protection is used by the New York Jets. Instead of creating space, they immediately engage the defender. This allows for more space between the offensive lineman and the quarterback for a bigger pocket. Mudd recommends that teams with lineman that have difficultly creating space, like Pasztor, should use dish protection. This solution will not work in Cleveland because the Browns have the only player Mudd recommends should use the slide step protection in Joe Thomas.

The challenge for the Browns as a team is to find a right tackle who can excel in slide step protection. Reviewing once again that sack fumble Austin Pasztor gave up against the Dolphins, Pasztor fails to get into proper position between the quarterback and defender at the point of engagement. He may simply lack the athleticism to play a slide protection step.

If that is the case, the Browns need to find his replacement at right tackle sooner than later. The problem is that potential replacements, Spencer Drango and Shon Coleman, came from spread systems who use exclusively two-point stances. They need time to learn to play with leverage from a three-point stance. Their best option at right tackle may be Cameron Erving who excelled at left tackle coming out of Florida State’s pro-style offense.

Is this part of Pasztor’s game fixable? Probably not. He is best suited as a guard because he lacks the athleticism to perform the slide step.

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