John Dorsey, offensive line chief cause for Cleveland Browns struggles

Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey has built a talented team at the skill positions, but his lack of emphasis on the line neutralizes that.

The Cleveland Browns have not lived up to expectations in 2019, as they look like a team who will not make the playoffs unless they have a miracle run. Despite building a roster with the talent to make the playoffs, general manager John Dorsey is a big reason for this season’s struggles.

Although blame falls on the coaching staff and poor game management from rookie head coach Freddie Kitchens, the Browns would have been able to show off their talent at the offensive skill positions if Dorsey had taken a better approach in the trenches.

The Browns do have two of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL with Joel Bitonio and J.C. Tretter, but the offensive line has failed to give Baker Mayfield time in the pocket. The issues with protecting Mayfield have generally fallen upon the offensive tackles: Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard.

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Robinson has improved as the season has gone on, but he still has issues of whiffing on blocks, allowing pressure to get to Mayfield’s blindside. On the season, Robinson has allowed three sacks. Hubbard has not improved as the season has progressed. Instead, he is constantly being beat and allowing pressure. Hubbard has allowed five sacks this season.

Since Mayfield has not had ample time to go through his reads while in the pocket, the Browns coaching staff has been forced to change their passing offense into a quick hitting attack. They have rarely been able to take shots downfield, which has limited the impact of Odell Beckham Jr and ultimately the entire offense.

However, the offensive line has not received criticism all the time because by some statistics, they are giving Mayfield enough time to get rid of the football. But the stats do not always tell the entire story, as Mayfield will hold the ball longer because he is scrambling away from pressure allowed by the offensive line. Oftentimes, Mayfield can only get through one read before pressure is in his face.

The struggles of the offensive line are a big reason why Browns general manager John Dorsey deserves a good amount of criticism for how this season has gone. Dorsey may have built one of the most talented teams at the skill positions, but without a sufficient offensive line, the Browns do not have time to get the ball to those weapons.

While spending resources and assets to add to the skill positions, Dorsey has largely taken the cheaper route to build the offensive line. And when he used a significant asset or money on offensive linemen, he has missed. Most notably, missing on Hubbard after signing him to a five-year, $36.5 million contract in 2018. Dorsey also missed in the draft when he selected Austin Corbett, who spent just over a season in the orange and brown.

The decision to draft Corbett compounded the issue, because Dorsey felt he could trade Kevin Zeitler, one of the best passing blocking guards in the NFL, away so Corbett could get playing time. Instead, Corbett showed he couldn’t be a starter and was traded. Now, the Browns have a hole at right guard, as well as both tackles.

How Dorsey has handled the offensive line has been a main reason why the Browns have struggled this season. Even though the coaching staff has been a cause for some of the losses, the Browns cannot utilize all of their talent on the offensive side of the ball because of how poorly the offensive line has played.

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Dorsey may have a plan to overhaul the offensive line during the offseason. But for the time being, his lack of attention to the offensive line is a big reason why the Browns are 5-7. He may have upgraded the roster, but his decision to not make the offensive line a priority has backfired.

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