Cleveland Browns: Kevin Zeitler adds new dimension to the running game

The Cleveland Browns plan to protect the passer after signing two offensive linemen in free agency. They also vastly improved their rushing attack.

The Cleveland Browns’ pass protection last season was awful. To shore up protection issues, they signed center J.C. Tretter and guard Kevin Zeitler.  Not only did they shore up pass protection but they also added a new dynamic to an already potent rushing attack.

There is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to pass protection. The offensive line had their problems communicating protections and maintaining blocks. The wide receivers struggled to gain separation and get open. The quarterbacks often held on to the ball too long, thereby requiring linemen to hold blocks longer. All these forces combined for horrible pass protection.

The Browns addressed the problems specifically related to the interior offensive line. One major problem, chronicled throughout the season here on Dawg Pound Daily, was lack of communication. Usually the center calls protections and gets the offensive line on the same page.

Last season, there was a myriad of people calling protections. Josh McCown called his own protections when he played. Every other quarterback was happy to delegate this responsibility to the offensive line. By delegating, the responsibility fell on Cameron Erving.

Cameron Erving is a player analytic-minded front office people would love. He is super athletic and checks all the boxes for a potential Pro Bowler. His problem is that he does not play center well.

Watching the tape revealed a player who was clearly confused about his assignment who did not communicate line calls very well. There even came a point in the season where the guards were making the line calls. The problem of communication was exacerbated when guards Joel Bitonio and John Greco suffered season-ending injuries.

When the protections were correctly called, execution became the issue. It is easy to see how Cameron Erving was overmatched at center. Backups Alvin Bailey and Spencer Drango had moments when they struggled in protections. When Bitonio and Greco were healthy, Greco often found himself looking to help struggling Austin Pasztor at right tackle.

The signing of J.C. Tretter will stabilize pass protection issues at center. He excels at making line calls and setting protections. In addition to excelling at the mental aspect of the game, he physically pass blocks well.

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The signing of Kevin Zeitler improves the pass protection at right guard. John Greco was not bad at right guard. He did an excellent job of pass blocking and babysitting Erving at center and helping Austin Pasztor at right tackle. Zeitler’s addition improves pass protection by replacing Greco with a younger and more athletic guard.

But the key to really understanding Zeitler’s addition (and to a lesser extent Tretter) is the running game.

The Browns had a terrific year running the football. They finished with a 4.89 yards per attempt which is the highest of any Browns team since 1966. But the Browns were built to run the football. At least the right side of the offensive line was built to run the football.

Last year, the offensive line was built to be a “right-handed” running team. Pasztor started at right tackle, in part, due to his ability to run block. Greco is a good run blocker who can move people in double teams. Bitonio is athletic and did an excellent job of pulling to kicking out or rounding off defenders opening holes.

With this system in place, the Browns rushing attack was near the top of the league until Bitonio was injured. Bitonio was placed on injured reserve on October 14. At that time, the Browns were among the league leaders in rushing. After Bitonio’s injury, the Browns rushing game came to a grinding halt.

The lack of running game was more than missing Bitonio. There was inept quarterback and wide receiver play contributing as well. But losing Bitonio robbed the Browns of a vital cog in the power run game. They lost an athletic left guard who could pull and open holes. Without that dominant guard, the Browns were unable to muster a significant ground threat until Week 17.

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Part of the issue was that Greco was not athletic like Bitonio. Built as a right-handed rushing team, the Browns did not anticipate having to make the power run game to the left a major staple of the offense. Defenses also planned for stopping the right-handed power rushing attack.

When Bitonio went down, Greco was not up to the task of pulling, kicking out or rounding out defenders to open holes in the power run game. Spencer Drango played well at guard but could not duplicate what Bitonio brought to the running game from the left guard position.

Entering this offseason, the best way to secure their running game was to sign Joel Bitonio. That would ensure the dominant left guard stays with the team. The second-best thing to do was to sign a mirror image or even better right guard. The Browns did that with Kevin Zeitler. Another way to upgrade the running game would be to draft a tight end that can both block and be a threat in the passing game. O.J. Howard anyone?

By securing Bitonio and Zeitler, the Browns running game went from “right-handed” to ambidextrous. Zeitler paired with Bitonio gives the Browns two dominant and athletic guards. Both can pull, kick out or round out defenders in the running game. The dominant power run game to the right side of the line has been transformed into the dominant power run game to both the left and right sides of the line.

The possibilities for the Browns run game are now endless. They can run zone or power to either side of the field on any given play. Contrast this to a predominantly right-handed scheme and the Browns offense have suddenly addressed their pass blocking woes by creating a dominant running game that alleviates the need to throw the ball.

The possibilities of the run game takes the pressure off the passer to carry the team. And on those occasions when the passer must throw the ball, there will be better protection from the offensive line.

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The Browns will lean on the running game next season. Let’s hope Isaiah Crowell is up for the challenge.