The Cleveland Browns came out of the bye week and put a hurting on the Bengals. But it is Greg Robinson that is benefiting most.
The Cleveland Browns have a much improved offensive line. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the Browns offensive line as the number three overall group in the league. It doesn’t get much better than that for a group that was previously on pace for an astounding number of quarterback hits.
In fact, the Browns offensive line has surrendered the fewest quarterback hits in the month of November. The Browns have also reduced the numbers of hurries and pressures. This newfound time has allowed Browns quarterback and Cleveland folk hero Baker Mayfield to wake up feeling dangerous.
But what exactly has led to this amazing turnaround? Did the offensive line suddenly learn how to pass block when previously they looked inept?
There has only been one major change along the offensive line. To the bench went undrafted rookie Desmond Harrison. Harrison shows a serious amount of potential. But he has yet to develop functional strength to stop bull rushes. His play was a major reason Mayfield experienced a large number of hits. Harrison also was committing false start and holding penalties due to his technique issues. As bright as his future may be, that future is not right now.
Enter Greg Robinson. Robinson is the retread offensive lineman from the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. He was the second pick in the 2014 NFL draft. It was a pick the Rams acquired in the Robert Griffin III trade.
Robinson did not enter the league prepared to start. He struggled with the Rams and was eventually traded to the Detroit Lions. He obviously failed to impress there as the Lions allowed him to leave via free agency. This is Robinson’s fifth year in the league. Had he lived up to his draft potential, he would be on the fifth year of his rookie contract.
But he did not. Robinson struggled greatly to protect the blind side of quarterbacks for the Rams and the Lions. Robinson came into the league from Auburn with great athleticism but without much technique. Browns fans will be familiar with this narrative as it is the same one fans endured with former Browns offensive lineman Shon Coleman also from Auburn.
But can one really put the newfound success of the offensive line on the choice to replace one offensive tackle with another? Surely you jest.
The Browns have changed schemes that have led to more success on the field. The offensive line scheme changes have also contributed to that success.
Offensive line scheme changes
In what follows will be an overly simplistic discussion of offensive line pass protection schemes. In particular, the basic structure of offensive pass protection is at issue.
Joe Thomas is possibly the greatest pass protector in NFL history. His technique was absolutely flawless. His style of protecting the passer worked for him given his extreme physical gifts combined with his in-depth understanding of pass blocking.
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If a coach could draw up a pass protection scheme, it would be with Joe Thomas and the pocket pass protection. His style was a gambit between the defensive end and the offensive tackle.
He dropped straight back at the snap. The point was to create as much space as possible. It was imperative that the tackle keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage to protect against the inside move as well as the speed/bull rush. The created distance enacts a game of chicken forcing the defensive end to commit to a strategy of an inside move, bull rush or speed rush. The longer the end takes to decide the easier the move is to block. Ultimately, this is the most effective form of pass blocking.
But not everyone has the athleticism and developed skill of Joe Thomas. Over the past three years, Joe Thomas would hold down the left side of pass protection while the right tackles struggled mightily to mirror the same approach. The result was a series of hits on the quarterback coming from the right side of the offensive line.
But now that Thomas is gone, one would expect to see that change. But it didn’t. Instead, former offensive coordinator Todd Haley kept the same pass protection technique in place for next left tackle. The result was a record-setting pace of hits on Baker Mayfield.
The more things change
When Haley and former Browns head coach he Hue must not be named were fired, Freddie Kitchens took over as the offensive coordinator. All of a sudden the “do it my way” mentality faded in favor of a collaborative approach seeking to develop Baker Mayfield.
With Kitchens, the Browns began to slowly explore different ways to protect Baker. At first, the ways were limited to different play-action schemes. There were more screens employed to slow down the rush.
But changing the protection scheme had to wait until the bye week. Coming off the bye week, the Browns went into Cincinnati with a different style of pass protection. This different style is commonly known as dish protection.
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Basic pass protection is governed by a few rules. The interior offensive linemen control the depth of the pocket. It is important for a shorter quarterback like Mayfield that the interior linemen establish a solid wall up front. Mayfield also has to get depth to see over the interior linemen or through windows. Defenses will attempt to collapse the pocket from the front on shorter quarterbacks.
Second, the offensive tackles control the width of the pocket. The depth of their drops determines how far left and right the quarterback can move within the pocket. For a shorter quarterback, it is imperative the quarterback has enough room to move left and right to see into the throwing lanes.
Dish protection lengthens the pocket by having the interior linemen engage almost immediately off the ball. It also widens the pocket by having the offensive tackles take a few steps out and back then engage defenders.
By doing so, all the blocking action remains in front of the quarterback. Having the action in front allows Mayfield to see if there is a breakdown in protection. It gives him time to react to those breakdowns appropriately.
The result of the switch to dish protection has been more time for Mayfield. It has also allowed him to move back and forth, left and right with greater ease. As a result, the Browns have given up fewer hits on the quarterback and fewer sacks.
But it is not just Mayfield that benefits. The offensive tackles benefit as well.
Corbett and Robinson
Greg Robinson has thrived this year in the dish protection scheme. It allows him to do what he does best. Robinson is at his best locking onto a player and holding a block. This scheme gets Robinson off the ball, into position, and into the block at a much quicker pace. The result is better pass protection. As a side benefit, Baker Mayfield stays upright.
Robinson’s success has more to do with a simple scheme change. During his time with the Rams, Robinson was shuffled from offensive tackle to guard to the right side and back to the left. Without the stability of a single position, it is hard to develop into an effective offensive lineman.
Also, Robinson has been working with LeCharles Bentley since 2016. He has worked very had at his academy to improve his technique. For a player who came into the league with underdeveloped pro-style offensive line skills, it has taken him a while to develop into a professional offensive lineman. Give credit to him he has worked very hard to get where he is now.
Speaking of developing offensive linemen. I have made the case that Austin Corbett could function as an offensive tackle in an offense that used this style of pass protection.
Corbett has been working at center. His future seems to be there. But if the Browns stick with this Air Raidesque style offense, giving Corbett another look at offensive tackle may be in the cards.